The Executive Director Development submitted a report to Cabinet on 11 March recommending acceptance of capital infrastructure funds and to delegate authority to officers to enter in contractual Funding Agreements with Oxfordshire County Council, in order to deliver two city infrastructure schemes set out within the Oxfordshire Housing and Growth Deal.

Councillor Brown, Leader of the Council, will move the recommendations.

Recommendations: Cabinet recommends that Council resolves to:

1.     Accept £7m in the Oxfordshire Housing and Growth Deal Funds from Oxfordshire County Council for the delivery of city-based infrastructure schemes;

2.     Approve an initial £300,000 feasibility study allocation from the capital programme for 2020-21, for Osney Mead to Oxpens Bridge, financed by available external funds; and

3.     Approve the £1m capital budget for city cycling schemes at Cuckoo Lane, Marsh Lane, Marston Road & Boundary Brook, Oxford, financed by Oxfordshire Housing and Growth Deal Funding.

Council considered a report to Cabinet on 11 March recommending acceptance of capital infrastructure funds and to delegate authority to officers to enter in contractual Funding Agreements with Oxfordshire County Council, in order to deliver two city infrastructure schemes set out within the Oxfordshire Housing and Growth Deal.

Councillor Brown, Leader of the Council, presented the report, answered questions, and moved the recommendations. These were agreed on being seconded and put to the vote.

Council resolved to:

1.     Accept £7m in the Oxfordshire Housing and Growth Deal Funds from Oxfordshire County Council for the delivery of city-based infrastructure schemes;

2.     Approve an initial £300,000 feasibility study allocation from the capital programme for 2020-21, for Osney Mead to Oxpens Bridge, financed by available external funds; and

3.     Approve the £1m capital budget for city cycling schemes at Cuckoo Lane, Marsh Lane, Marston Road & Boundary Brook, Oxford, financed by Oxfordshire Housing and Growth Deal Funding.

The Executive Director Development has submitted a report to accept capital infrastructure funds and delegate authority to officers to enter in contractual Funding Agreements with Oxfordshire County Council, in order to deliver two city infrastructure schemes set out within the Oxfordshire Housing and Growth Deal.

Recommendations: That Cabinet resolves to:

1.Recommend to Council to:

      i.  Accept £7m in the Oxfordshire Housing and Growth Deal Funds from Oxfordshire County Council for the delivery of city-based infrastructure schemes; 

    ii.  Approve an initial £300,000 feasibility study allocation from the capital programme for 2020-21, for Osney Mead to Oxpens Bridge, financed by available external funds; and

   iii.  Approve the £1m capital budget for city cycling schemes at Cuckoo Lane, Marsh Lane, Marston Road & Boundary Brook, Oxford, financed by Oxfordshire Housing and Growth Deal Funding.

2.Delegate authority to the Executive Director Development, in consultation with the Council’s Section 151 Officer, the Head of Law and Governance and Cabinet Member for Planning & Sustainable Transport, to agree and enter into grant funding arrangements and contractual terms with Oxfordshire County Council before the funds are transferred from Oxfordshire County Council to Oxford City Council to enable the City Council to deliver a £7mprogramme of infrastructure projects, financed through the Oxfordshire Housing and Growth Deal. This funding will include £6m towards the Osney Mead to Oxpens Bridge and £1M for defined city cycling schemes.

The Executive Director Development had submitted a report to accept capital infrastructure funds and delegate authority to officers to enter in contractual Funding Agreements with Oxfordshire County Council, in order to deliver two city infrastructure schemes set out within the Oxfordshire Housing and Growth Deal.

Councillor Hollingsworth, Cabinet Member for Planning & Sustainable Transport, said the two projects for which funding would be allocated were both high priorities for the Council.

Matt Peachey, Economic Development Manager said  Heads of Terms had been agreed for the Osney Mead to Oxpens Bridge and the Cycling Improvement Schemes. Project Officers were in place to deliver both in a timely way.

Tom Bridgman, Executive Director, Development, said that  while the capacity of the project team had been increased, these additional responsibilities might require the appointment of additional staff and or the re-phasing of other work . The bridge project was still at a feasibility stage. There were further stages to go through with opportunities to review viability and costs before finalising.

It was noted that recent cycling improvements over which the Council had little control had not always been successful. Given that the Council would be responsible for  these new schemes, it was hoped that they would be of better quality. It was important to take account of local cycle/lobby groups in the design of the improvement schemes. It was also important to remember that the funding for the schemes was finite and  should not  be spent disproportionately on consultation.

Cabinet resolved to:

Recommend to Council to:

      i.  Accept £7m in the Oxfordshire Housing and Growth Deal Funds from Oxfordshire County Council for the delivery of city-based infrastructure schemes; 

    ii.  Approve an initial £300,000 feasibility study allocation from the capital programme for 2020-21, for Osney Mead to Oxpens Bridge, financed by available external funds; and

   iii.  Approve the £1m capital budget for city cycling schemes at Cuckoo Lane, Marsh Lane, Marston Road & Boundary Brook, Oxford, financed by Oxfordshire Housing and Growth Deal Funding.

2.Delegate authority to the Executive Director Development, in consultation with the Council’s Section 151 Officer, the Head of Law and Governance and Cabinet Member for Planning & Sustainable Transport, to agree and enter into grant funding arrangements and contractual terms with Oxfordshire County Council before the funds are transferred from Oxfordshire County Council to Oxford City Council to enable the City Council to deliver a £7mprogramme of infrastructure projects, financed through the Oxfordshire Housing and Growth Deal. This funding will include £6m towards the Osney Mead to Oxpens Bridge and £1M for defined city cycling schemes.