The City Executive Board, on 13 February 2018 and on 18 September 2018, resolved to grant delegated authority to the Executive Director – Sustainable City, in consultation with the Heads of Finance and Law and Governance, to enter into appropriate legal agreements with the Environment Agency to give effect to the matters outlined in the report relating to the disposal of land for the purposes of the Oxford Flood Alleviation Scheme.  This matter now falls within the remit of the Executive Director (Development).

To enter into an Option Agreement and a Clawback Agreement with the Environment Agency for the purpose of delivery of the Oxford Flood Alleviation Scheme (OFAS).

The Environment Agency (EA) requires land, and rights over land, owned by the Council to enable delivery of the Oxford Flood Alleviation Scheme (OFAS). The Option Agreement will allow the EA to draw down identified land currently in the ownership of the City Council for the purpose of the delivery of the OFAS scheme. It also sets out the terms of the arrangement between OCC and the EA. The Clawback Agreement sets out how OCC would be recompensed should the land be used outside of these terms. 

Not including any Council land has been considered but this would prevent the delivery of the OFAS scheme, meaning flooding events would continue to heavily impact large areas of the city.  Another option would have been to sell the land to the EA at market value, but this would have increased the cost of the scheme.  The disposal of the land at nil cost is the City Council's local contribution to the scheme, which will benefit local residents.

Decision taken by Tom Bridgman, Executive Director (Development) in consultation with Nigel Kennedy, Head of Financial Services; Emma Jackman, Head of Law and Governance; and Councillor Nigel Kennedy, Cabinet Member for Citizen Focused Services and Council Companies.