Cabinet, at its meeting on 19 May 2019, agreed to delegate authority to the Assistant Chief Executive in consultation with the Head of Finance and the Head of Law and Governance to:

1.    Approve the sale of sites as set out in the OCHL business plan to OCHL providing that such sales comply with the mechanism set out in paragraph 31 of this report and s123 of the Local Government Act 1972, and are made on the basis that following development all affordable housing units at the sites would be purchased back by the Council through the Housing Revenue Account.

2.    Approve and facilitate the agreed purchase by the HRA of all affordable housing units at the OHCL development sites.

The Assistant Chief Executive authorised the Director of Housing to take this decision.

1      To authorise the transfer by sale of land at Bracegirdle Road, Mortimer Drive and Broad Oak to Oxford City Housing (Development) Limited for a consideration of £30,000.

2      To authorise the transfer by purchase of the land and completed housing units from Oxford City Housing (Development) Limited by the Council’s Housing Revenue Account for a consideration of £2,590,000 in total.

To support the delivery of affordable housing.

The viability appraisals undertaken show that the scheme is within the parameters set for the Housing Revenue Account.

The scheme is supported by £520,000 of Oxfordshire Growth Deal Affordable Housing grant.

Not to transfer the properties would represent a missed opportunity to deliver affordable housing and support the delivery of the OCHL business plan.

Paul Leo, Interim Director of Housing in consultation with Nigel Kennedy, Head of Financial Services and Susan Sale, Head of Law and Governance.