Housing growth in Babergh will fund a range of local projects, following agreement by councillors – including upgraded CCTV in Hadleigh and Sudbury, electric vehicle charging points and new community facilities in surrounding villages.

Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) is collected from developers when they build new homes in the district, ensuring local infrastructure keeps pace with housing growth – and supporting the council's vision for communities with bright and healthy futures.

Babergh District Council considered bids from the latest CIL funding round at today's Cabinet meeting, during which councillors unanimously approved £183,000 to fund an upgrade in CCTV provision for the district's key market towns.

Although the council does not have a statutory obligation to provide CCTV, it wants Hadleigh and Sudbury to remain safe and thriving towns that people are proud to call home – with CCTV coverage contributing to reducing crime and disorder, as well as assisting the police with finding missing people.

The system upgrade, agreed by Cabinet in July, will enable images to be monitored 24/7 from a purpose built CCTV control room and allow defective equipment to be repaired promptly. Both Sudbury and Hadleigh Town Councils have been involved in the project, along with the police and neighbouring authorities, and will be making financial contributions to the ongoing costs associated with monitoring.

A fully digital wireless CCTV system – replacing outdated equipment installed 20 years ago – will also be implemented once system specifications have been agreed.

This is the latest significant investment in Sudbury, following the approval of £75,000 of CIL funding towards the regeneration of St Peter's Church in June. Both projects form an important part of the future vision for Sudbury, which sees Babergh District Council working with partners to aid the economic recovery and growth of this key market town.

Cllr Clive Arthey, Babergh District Council's Cabinet Member for Planning, said: "This latest spending round demonstrates our council's continued commitment to investing in Sudbury and Hadleigh, as part of our vision to regenerate these key market towns and support their economic recovery. I hope the CCTV upgrade will provide peace of mind to residents that we are doing all we can to keep their towns safer, as part of our ambition for Babergh to be somewhere that everyone is proud to call home.

"As ward member for Lavenham, I am delighted the village will receive further funding for car park improvements. We want to make it better for visitors and easier for those who are elderly or less able to access shops and other amenities.

"The new common room is also set to make a real difference to the village's most vulnerable residents, and shows how housing growth in the district provides not just homes, but also much-needed community facilities."

District CIL is income retained by the district council to spend on infrastructure to support development. This money must be applied for and the decision to spend amounts above a certain level has to be taken by Cabinet.

Further information about how the CIL works can be found on the councils website, with details about how the levy has been allocated available on the councils' award-winning Developer Contributions Database.