Cabinet, on 14 September 2022, resolved to:

1.   Approve a reallocation from the capital programme to the Future Workplace programme of a budgeted £1m to support the works required to vacate St Aldate’s Chambers and relocate staff office accommodation to the Town Hall;

2.   Delegate authority to the Executive Director (Development) in consultation with the Head of Law and Governance, the Head of Financial Services / S151 Officer and the Deputy Leader (Statutory) – Finance and Asset Management to enter into appropriate contracts to implement required changes to St Aldate’s Chambers or the Town Hall; and

4.   Delegate authority to the Executive Director (Development) in consultation with the Head of Financial Services / S151 Officer, the Head of Law and Governance, and the Deputy Leader (Statutory) – Finance and Asset Management to enter into lease(s) to let the whole of St Aldate’s Chambers in line with the strategy set out in the confidential Appendix 1 or on other terms which fulfil the requirements of S123 of the Local Government Act 1972.

To agree final terms for the lease of the whole of St Aldate’s Chambers as shown at Exempt Appendix 1.

The decision enables the lease of the whole of St Aldate’s Chambers, which will permit more efficient use of the Council’s property estate.  Further information is contained in the Cabinet report ‘Future Workplace – Relocation from St Aldate’s Chambers to Oxford Town Hall’ dated 14 September 2022.

The option not to amend the lease terms was rejected as it would not allow the Council to benefit from efficiencies within its property estate.

Decision taken by Tom Bridgman, Executive Director (Development) in consultation with Nigel Kennedy, Head of Financial Services; Marcia Ecclestone, Legal Services Manager (on behalf of Susan Sale, Head of Law and Governance); and Councillor Ed Turner, Deputy Leader (Statutory) – Finance and Asset Management.