Cabinet, at its meeting on 22 January 2020, resolved to:

4. Delegate authority to the Director of Housing, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Affordable Housing, the Head of Financial Services / S151 Officer; and the Council’s Monitoring Officer, to enter into agreement for the award of grant, contractual arrangement and/or spend, for the provision of additional affordable housing in perpetuity using Retained Right to Buy Receipts or Recycled Capital Grant Funding;

5. Delegate authority to the Head of Planning Services, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Affordable Housing; the Head of Financial Services/S151 Officer; and the Council’s Monitoring Officer, to enter into agreement for the award of grant, contractual arrangement and/or spend, for the provision of additional affordable housing in perpetuity using s.106 funds; and

6. Delegate authority to the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Cabinet Members for Finance and Asset Management, and Affordable Housing, to approve any property or development purchases over £500,000 for affordable housing, within the project approval granted at that meeting.

To acquire 2 x 3-bed and 7 x 4-bed houses on Barton Park development, Headington for the sum of £650,000. This will allow the switch of the units from affordable rent to social rent, making them more affordable and sustainable in the long term.  Funds for the purchase will come from s.106 affordable housing monies.

The decision enables s.106 affordable housing funding to be used to support the delivery of housing at social rent.

The option not to use the s.106 affordable housing funding to acquire the properties was rejected, as this would not allow additional affordable housing at social rent to be provided.

Decision taken by Rachel Williams, Acting Head of Planning Services (Planning Policy) in consultation with Nigel Kennedy, Head of Financial Services / S151 Officer; Susan Sale, Head of Law and Governance; Councillor Alex Hollingsworth, Cabinet Member for Planning and Housing Delivery; and Councillor Linda Smith, Cabinet Member for Housing.