Will Shirebrook lose £500,000 in S106 money?

S106 money. Once again, this town is sleepwalking into another scandal. I’d planned a major piece on this, but I’m short on time and energy right now — so instead of sitting on it, I’m publishing something leaner and handing you the evidence, in the hope that Reform councillors won’t let us lose this money.

I’ll also show you the FOI I had to send a follow-up on, asking BDC to explain inconsistencies in the dates.

THE TRUTH
Labour-led BDC has been sitting on this issue for years — if I’m not mistaken, since Keepmoat began the development. They knew money is there to use and never, ever even tried to do something with it. Although if you read the FOI, it looks like they received the money after they’d already spent some of it. Yes, really.

BDC is holding that money, and its “planning policy team” is responsible for deciding how it should be spent. That policy team is supposed to be guided by elected members — councillors feeding in ideas on how to spend the money to best effect for the local community.

So far, they’ve used over £300,000 to rebuild the double T-junction near the cemetery into what, in my view, has become a traffic nightmare. Also in my view, DCC under the Conservatives did residents no favours by keeping this out of public view. That traffic problem will only grow once the crematorium is operating. Mark my words.

ANOTHER FOI
Let me be clear: I received an odd response with contradicting dates in it. I’d also requested copies of correspondence between elected members and BDC officers about S106 — and in nine pages of PDFs, the only emails I found were from Cllr Sarah Reaney. She was first, she was the only one, and she was persistent. Every other Shirebrook BDC councillor? Absent. All of Labour on STC? Absent. Yates? One too busy hiding Dragonfly scandal documents, other one populating STC meeting agenda with… litterpicking. Quality work, socialist!

On the evidence I’ve seen, Labour is doing nothing to use that £500,000 to improve the town. And time is running out. The clock formally starts when the last home is finished — but time is passing as we speak. There will be very little time to plan, consult and invest this money after that point. STC, BDC and DCC should have known for years how to spend it. Yet nobody seems to know anything. There are some discussions, but nothing concrete.

Again — the only person doing anything on this is Cllr Sarah Reaney.

PLANS ARE THERE TO BE CHANGED
I’d planned a big information campaign on S106 — a media offensive. I wanted to fire up residents’ minds the way the “leasing Village Hall” story did. I planned to chase down councillors with a camera to press them into action on S106.

I can’t run that campaign the way I wanted to right now. So I’m doing the next best thing: putting the evidence in front of you, and asking the new councillors — and you, the residents — to keep the pressure on.

THE FOI DATE WEIRDNESS
BDC’s response to my FOI leaves me with mixed feelings. On one hand, it looks professional and thorough — the FOI officer attached links, a map and some additional information. On the other hand, the response appears to contradict itself.

I won’t spell out where, but here’s a hint. Read the FOI and ask yourself: when did Keepmoat begin this development? If you follow the link in the FOI, you can check the date of the first document (December 2014) and compare it with the date the money was transferred, as stated in the FOI. Then ask when the junction by the cemetery was rebuilt, and look at when the money for it was supposedly received.

Something doesn’t add up here.

WHAT HAPPENS NOW
That £500,000 is at risk. If the new councillors don’t start putting pressure on Labour, this town could hand that money back to the developer (estimated value 1,100,000,000 pounds). Keep an eye on it. Ask the questions. I’ll be watching too.

FOI REPLY

Dear Sylwester

ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION REGULATIONS 2004 – INFORMATION REQUEST

Reference FOI/1186

Thank you for contacting Bolsover District Council.

Your request for information has been considered, and to the best of our knowledge, the information we hold which relates to your request, is as follows:

I am requesting the following information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and/or the Environmental Information Regulations 2004, as appropriate. This concerns Section 106 planning obligation funds paid by the developer Keepmoat (and any other) in connection with residential development in South-West Shirebrook (Meadow View, Pleasley View).

1. A copy of the Section 106 agreement(s) relating to this development, including any deeds of variation.
The Section 106 Agreement and other relevant documents, including Deeds of Variation, are accessible via the Council’s online Planning Register using application reference 14/00594/OUT. Please see https://planning.bolsover.gov.uk/online-applications/

2. The total sum received by the Council under this agreement, and the date(s) on which payment(s) were received.
The total sum received by the Council under this Agreement was £879,000, which was received on 01 March 2026.

3. The purpose(s) for which each sum was designated under the agreement.
The purpose of the contribution was for it to be used by the Council, in the first instance, for off-site highway works.

4. Whether the agreement contains any time limit, expiry date, or clawback/repayment provision, and if so, the relevant date(s).
Five years from the date of completion of the final property. The final phase of the development is currently underway and, as of April 2026, 68 properties remain to be completed within the final phase, which comprises 265 dwellings.

5. The total amount of these funds spent to date, broken down by project, with the date and amount of each expenditure.
An initial payment of £310,000 was transferred to Derbyshire County Council on 31 January 2018 and was spent on a signalisation scheme for the Common Lane/Main Street junction, designed by Derbyshire County Council Highways. A drawing showing the signalisation scheme is provided below. The project has been completed.

6. The current unspent balance held by the Council in respect of this agreement.
The current unspent balance held is £569,000, plus any accrued interest.

7. Any current plan, programme, or decision regarding the spending of the remaining balance, including any committee report or minute in which this was considered.
Discussions are currently taking place between the Council’s Planning Policy Team and Derbyshire County Council’s Highways Department.

8. Copies of any correspondence, proposals, or representations received by the Council from elected members regarding the use of these funds, together with the Council’s responses. (I am content for personal data of third parties to be redacted where required.) Any internal monitoring reports the Council holds recording the receipt and expenditure of these funds.
Please see the attached document containing correspondence with elected members regarding the use of these funds. Information relating to the receipt and expenditure of the funds is contained within the Council’s ledger, entitled ‘Section 106 Finance Spreadsheet’.
Internal monitoring of expenditure is undertaken in accordance with the Council’s adopted Section 106 Monitoring Procedure.

In accordance with the Section 106 Monitoring Procedure, the status of all Section 106 funds received by Bolsover District council is reported to Members on a quarterly basis. The relevant Committee Reports can be accessed via the link below.
Section 106 Agreement monitoring and Annual Infrastructure Funding Statements

Please confirm whether the Council operates a Community Infrastructure Levy, and if any CIL funds (as distinct from the above s106 funds) relate to this development.
No, Bolsover District Council does not operate a Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL).

END

Lead picture: made with MJ.