Cabinet, on 13 September 2023, resolved to:

1.        Delegate authorityto the ExecutiveDirector (Development), in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Housing; Deputy Leader (Statutory) - Finance and Asset Management; and Cabinet Member for Inclusive Communities,to agree (within the parameters set out within this report and associated appendices)and sign the final terms of a Deed of Variation to the Development Agreement between OCC and its development partner, Peabody;

5.         Subject to the agreement of recommendations 3 and 4, delegate authorityfor the spend of Affordable Housing S106 allocated to the BlackbirdLeys Regeneration Project to the Executive Director (Development) in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Housing; Deputy Leader (Statutory) - Finance and Asset Management; Cabinet Member for Inclusive Communities; and the Head of Financial Services/Section 151 Officer;

6.        Delegate authority to the Executive Director (Development) in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Housing; Deputy Leader (Statutory) - Finance and Asset Management; and the Cabinet Member for Inclusive Communities to agree an appropriate vacant possession strategy and subsequent implementation of the strategy for obtaining vacant possession of the land required for Phase 2;

7.        Delegate authority to the Executive Director (Development) in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Housing; Deputy Leader (Statutory) - Finance and Asset Management; and the Cabinet Member for Inclusive Communities to agree the detailed design to be submitted to the Local Planning Authority, undertake any necessary procurements and enter into any necessary contracts related to the detailed design, construction and fit out for the new Blackbird Leys Community Centre within the agreed budget;

8.        Delegate authority to the Executive Director (Development) to agree to Oxford City Council taking over responsibility for the delivery, costs and financial risk of the community centre if Peabody requests this change as a means to improve the scheme’s viability.

To enter into a Deed of Variation to the Development Agreement with Peabody Trust for the delivery of the Blackbird Leys Regeneration Project.

The Development Agreement (DA) sets out how the Blackbird Leys Regeneration Project is to be brought forward through a series of Gateways, where at key stages the scheme’s viability is tested and agreed by both parties.   Further background on the Development Agreement can be found in the Blackbird Leys Development Project Detailed Design report to Cabinet dated 11 March 2020.  This decision delivers a revised development agreement between development partners Oxford City Council and Peabody for the delivery of the Blackbird Leys Regeneration Project.  Further detail about the background and reasons for the decision is shown in the attached officer decision form.

The Cabinet decision of 13 September 2023 set out the principles on which the authorisation to enter into the Deed of Variation(DoV) was given. The final form of the DoV adheres to those principles and therefore its completion was authorised by Cabinet. The alternative would be to not enter into the DoV, which would put delivery of the project at risk.

Decision taken by Tom Bridgman, Executive Director (Development) in consultation with Carolyn Ploszynski, Head of Regeneration and Economy; Nigel Kennedy, Head of Financial Services; Emma Jackman, Head of Law and Governance; Councillor Ed Turner, Deputy Leader (Statutory) – Finance and Asset Management; Councillor Ajaz Rehman, Cabinet Member for Inclusive Communities and Councillor Linda Smith, Cabinet Member for Housing.