The chairman of Whittington Parish Council believes she and her fellow councillors will be keeping an eye on any tightening of money given out from Community Infrastructure Levy funds.

Shropshire Council’s assistant director of growth, Gemma Davies, has told the council that there is insufficient funds available to build projects in the county.

Whittington is one area earmarked for development and parish council chairman Jill Whitby says they will be watching how the CIL money is awarded closely over the coming year.

“We will apply for the CIL funding for the new development because we need a roundabout if there’s going to be new development, then we need a roundabout,” she said. “But we won’t get the full amount as Shropshire Council gets a cut of the money too.

“We have to ask for our CIL money and we’re going to have to keep a close eye on the changes, because the rules for the distribution of CIL money has changed.

“It might benefit us if they’re being very specific about the money because we will need that roundabout.

“I know some rural parish councils around Shropshire – not necessarily in the Oswestry area – are a little bit worried about what is happening with the CIL money. The other issue with it is that we don’t get the money until the development is completed.

“When the development at Park Hall happened, we used our CIL money to fund street lighting but we couldn’t do that until the development was completed.

“But I would say that we would have to 100 per cent keep an eye on what is going to happen.

Sharon Clayton, Oswestry Rural Parish Council clerk, explained there are projects requiring money which can take from the Neighbourhood Fund, for non-essential building projects.

She added: “It’s my understanding that CIL money can only be used for projects where developments have a negative impact on the area. For example, if there is flooding that is made worse through development, then CIL can be used.

“But we also has access to the Neighbourhood Fund and has used around £60,000 over the years.”

Ms Clayton added that Shropshire Council had written to parish councils clarifying what projects CIL money could be used for.