The Head of Housing Services has submitted a report to seek further project approvals and delegations to enable the continued delivery of more affordable housing.

Cabinet is recommended to:

1.      Note the 64 affordable homes that have already been acquired from OCHL as per Table 1, and the 111 affordable dwellings that are currently in delivery as listed in Table 2, in accordance with the previous Cabinet approvals in February 2017 and May 2019.

2.      Give project approval for the continued acquisition of affordable dwellings developed by OCHL for which budgetary provision has been made in the Council’s Housing Revenue Account in respect of:

a)      The 6 affordable dwellings listed in rows 6 to 10 in Table 3, and

b)      The development of 80 affordable homes at Almonds Farm, Mill Lane, Marston as laid out in paragraphs 6 to 10. 

3.      Delegate authority to the Executive Director for Development,in consultation with the Executive Director for Communities and People; the Cabinet Member for Planning and Housing Delivery; the Head of Financial Services/ Section 151 Officer; and the Head of Law and Governance,to approve and facilitate the sale of the council owned site, to facilitate the OCHL development and the subsequent acquisition of affordable dwellings by the HRA, within this project approval for Mill Lane, Marston.

4.      Delegate authority to the Executive Director for Communities and People,in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Affordable Housing, Housing Security and Housing the Homeless; the Head of Financial Services/ Section 151 Officer; and the Head of Law and Governance,to enter into agreements and facilitate the agreed purchase by the HRA of all the affordable housing units from OCHLwithin this project approval, for Mill Lane, Marston (as recommended at 2b above) and the extensions (as recommended at 2a above).

5.      Give project approval to the proposals, to accept and distribute grant; enter into funding agreements; and any other necessary agreements or contracts, as set out in paragraphs 11 to 13 of this report for Gibbs Crescent, for the purpose of delivering more affordable housing in Oxford, through the Oxfordshire Housing and Growth Deal programme.

6.      Delegate authority to the Executive Director for Development, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Planning and Housing Delivery; the Head of Financial Services/Section 151 Officer; and the Council’s Monitoring Officer, to enter into funding and other necessary agreements for the purpose of delivery affordable housing through the Oxfordshire Housing and Growth Deal programme, within identified budgets, for the Gibbs Crescent scheme listed in this report.

7.      Recommend to Council that it approves a revision to the general fund capital budget of £2,150,000 to fund the grant payable for the additional 43 affordable homes on the Gibbs Crescent scheme, all of which will be funded by capital grant income from Oxfordshire Housing and Growth Deal (OGD). This to be profiled as £1,935,000 (90%) in 2022/23 for the initial grant payment, and the balance of £215,000 in 2024/25.

8.      Give project approval to the proposals to enter into funding agreements, and any other necessary agreements or contracts, with Homes England to receive grant under the Affordable Housing Programme (AHP) for the purpose of delivering more affordable housing in Oxford, as set out in paragraphs 14 and 15 of the report.

9.      Delegate authority to the Executive Director for Communities and People,in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Affordable Housing, Housing Security and Housing the Homeless; the Head of Financial Services/Section 151 Officer; and the Council’s Monitoring Officer, to enter into funding and other necessary agreements for the purpose of delivery of affordable housing with Homes England, in accordance with recommendation 8 above.

10.   Delegate authority to the Executive Director for Communities and People,in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Affordable Housing, Housing Security and Housing the Homeless; the Head of Financial Services/ Section 151 Officer; and the Head of Law and Governance,to enter into agreement and facilitate the agreed purchase by the HRA of the affordable housing units, from OCHL, referenced at paragraphs 16 to 20 of this report, at a cost that exceeds the usual financial parameters for the HRA in respect of the 5 properties listed in Table 3, within further information provided in the confidential Appendix 2, to ensure units remain at Social Rent, within overall budget envelopes for affordable housing buy-backs.

The Head of Housing Services had submitted a report to seek further project approvals and delegations to enable the continued delivery of more affordable housing.

Councillor Alex Hollingsworth, Cabinet Member for Planning and Housing Delivery, highlighted the continuing need for affordable housing within the City and presented the recommendations in conjunction with Councillor Diko Walcott, Cabinet Member for Affordable Housing, Housing Security and Housing the Homeless.

Cabinet resolved to:

1.      Note the 64 affordable homes that have already been acquired from OCHL as per Table 1, and the 111 affordable dwellings that are currently in delivery as listed in Table 2, in accordance with the previous Cabinet approvals in February 2017 and May 2019.

2.      Give project approval for the continued acquisition of affordable dwellings developed by OCHL for which budgetary provision has been made in the Council’s Housing Revenue Account in respect of:

a)      The 6 affordable dwellings listed in rows 6 to 10 in Table 3, and

b)      The development of 80 affordable homes at Almonds Farm, Mill   Lane, Marston as laid out in paragraphs 6 to 10. 

3.      Delegate authority to the Executive Director for Development,in consultation with the Executive Director for Communities and People; the Cabinet Member for Planning and Housing Delivery; the Head of Financial Services/ Section 151 Officer; and the Head of Law and Governance,to approve and facilitate the sale of the council owned site, to facilitate the OCHL development and the subsequent acquisition of affordable dwellings by the HRA, within this project approval for Mill Lane, Marston.

4.      Delegate authority to the Executive Director for Communities and People,in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Affordable Housing, Housing Security and Housing the Homeless; the Head of Financial Services/ Section 151 Officer; and the Head of Law and Governance,to enter into agreements and facilitate the agreed purchase by the HRA of all the affordable housing units from OCHLwithin this project approval, for Mill Lane, Marston (as recommended at 2b above) and the extensions (as recommended at 2a above).

5.      Give project approval to the proposals, to accept and distribute grant; enter into funding agreements; and any other necessary agreements or contracts, as set out in paragraphs 11 to 13 of this report for Gibbs Crescent, for the purpose of delivering more affordable housing in Oxford, through the Oxfordshire Housing and Growth Deal programme.

6.      Delegate authority to the Executive Director for Development, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Planning and Housing Delivery; the Head of Financial Services/Section 151 Officer; and the Council’s Monitoring Officer, to enter into funding and other necessary agreements for the purpose of delivery affordable housing through the Oxfordshire Housing and Growth Deal programme, within identified budgets, for the Gibbs Crescent scheme listed in this report.

7.      Recommend to Council that it approves a revision to the general fund capital budget of £2,150,000 to fund the grant payable for the additional 43 affordable homes on the Gibbs Crescent scheme, all of which will be funded by capital grant income from Oxfordshire Housing and Growth Deal (OGD). This to be profiled as £1,935,000 (90%) in 2022/23 for the initial grant payment, and the balance of £215,000 in 2024/25.

8.      Give project approval to the proposals to enter into funding agreements, and any other necessary agreements or contracts, with Homes England to receive grant under the Affordable Housing Programme (AHP) for the purpose of delivering more affordable housing in Oxford, as set out in paragraphs 14 and 15 of this report.

9.      Delegate authority to the Executive Director for Communities and People,in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Affordable Housing, Housing Security and Housing the Homeless; the Head of Financial Services/Section 151 Officer; and the Council’s Monitoring Officer, to enter into funding and other necessary agreements for the purpose of delivery of affordable housing with Homes England, in accordance with recommendation 8 above.

10.   Delegate authority to the Executive Director for Communities and People,in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Affordable Housing, Housing Security and Housing the Homeless; the Head of Financial Services/ Section 151 Officer; and the Head of Law and Governance,to enter into agreement and facilitate the agreed purchase by the HRA of the affordable housing units, from OCHL, referenced at paragraphs 16 to 20 of this report, at a cost that exceeds the usual financial parameters for the HRA in respect of the 5 properties listed in Table 3, within further information provided in the confidential Appendix 2, to ensure units remain at Social Rent, within overall budget envelopes for affordable housing buy-backs.