<p><span>Local authorities must now reveal how much money they receive from developers under Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) deals, the government has announced.</span></p> <p><span>Under new rules immediate from yesterday (September 1), the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) stated that local residents could now discover “how every pound of property developers’ cash, levied on new buildings, is spent supporting the new homes their community needs.”</span></p> <p><span>During 2016/17, developers paid £6 billion towards local infrastructure, according to MHCLG. But until now, it added, councils were not required to state the total amount of funding they had received or how it was spent, “leaving local residents in the dark”. </span></p> <p><span>“New rules will mean councils will be legally required to publish vital deals done with housing developers so residents can see exactly how money will be spent investing in the future of their community,” MHCLG stated.</span></p> <p><span>Councils will also, from December 2020, need to publish an annual report on all CIL agreements they have finalised with developers.</span></p> <p><span>Additionally, MHCLG has published new planning practice guidance which aims to simplify advice on the CIL regime, to help developers and communities understand the requirements, it said.</span></p> <p><span>And ministers will ease restrictions to let …