The Head of Housing Services submitted a report to Cabinet on 14 October 2020 seeking project approval and delegations to enable capital grant allocations to be paid to Registered Providers and Community-Led Housing providers for schemes within the Oxfordshire Housing and Growth Deal programme, using grant received from Oxfordshire County Council for this purpose.

Papers relating to this item and the decision of Cabinet are set out in the minutes of that meeting

Recommendations: Cabinet recommends that Council resolves to:

1.     approve a revision to the general fund capital budget in 2020/21 of £3,123,000, for the initial grant payment in relation to the William Morris Close site, and a further capital budget for 2021/22 of £347,000 to fund the remaining grant balance payable for that scheme all of which will be funded by capital grant income from Oxfordshire Housing and Growth Deal (OGD).

Council considered the report of the Head of Housing Services seeking project approval and delegations to enable capital grant allocations to be paid to Registered Providers and Community-Led Housing providers for schemes within the Oxfordshire Housing and Growth Deal programme, using grant received from Oxfordshire County Council for this purpose.

The Cabinet Member for Affordable Housing, Cllr Rowley, introduced the report, proposed the recommendations and answered questions. The recommendations were agreed on being seconded and put to the vote.

Council resolved to approve a revision to the general fund capital budget in 2020/21 of £3,123,000, for the initial grant payment in relation to the William Morris Close site, and a further capital budget for 2021/22 of £347,000 to fund the remaining grant balance payable for that scheme all of which will be funded by capital grant income from Oxfordshire Housing and Growth Deal (OGD).

The Head of Housing Services has submitted a report to seek project approval and delegations to enable capital grant allocations to be paid to Registered Providers and Community-Led Housing providers for schemes within the Oxfordshire Housing and Growth Deal programme, using grant received from Oxfordshire County Council for this purpose.  To delegate officers to enter into funding and other necessary agreements for the purpose of delivery of affordable housing through this programme.

Recommendations: That Cabinet resolves to:

1.    Give project approval to the proposals, to accept and distribute grant; enter into funding agreements; and any other necessary agreements or contracts, as set out in this report for sites at William Morris Close; Gibbs Crescent; and Champion Way, for the purpose of delivering more affordable housing in Oxford, through the Oxfordshire Housing and Growth Deal programme;

2.    Note that the Head of Financial Services proposes to use financial delegations for grant funded capital schemes, to make the initial payment for William Morris Close, by the required deadline;

3.    Note that the budget for further Growth Deal grant payments will be requested in future budget reports;

4.    Delegate authority to the Director of Housing, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Affordable Housing; the Head of Financial Services/Section 151 Officer; and the Council’s Monitoring Officer, to enter into funding and other necessary agreements for the purpose of delivery affordable housing through the Oxfordshire Housing and Growth Deal programme, within identified budgets, for the schemes listed in this report;

5.    Delegate authority to the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Cabinet Members for Finance and Asset Management, and Affordable Housing, to approve any agreements over £500,000 for affordable housing, within this project approval and budget envelope; and

6.    Recommend to Council that it approves a revision to the general fund capital budget in 2020/21 of £3,123,000, for the initial grant payment in relation to the William Morris Close site, and a further capital budget for 2021/22 of £347,000 to fund the remaining grant balance payable for that scheme all of which will be funded by capital grant income from Oxfordshire Housing and Growth Deal (OGD).

The Head of Housing Services had submitted a report to  seek project approval and delegations to enable capital grant allocations to be paid to Registered Providers and Community-Led Housing providers for schemes within the Oxfordshire Housing and Growth Deal programme, using grant received from Oxfordshire County Council for this purpose.  To delegate officers to enter into funding and other necessary agreements for the purpose of delivery of affordable housing through this programme.

Councillor Mike Rowley, Cabinet Member for Affordable Housing introduced the report. The project approval and allocation of funding was very good news for the City as together they would increase the proportion of social and other affordable housing available to residents.   Some of the funding would be directed towards projects which already had planning approval. The report sought agreement, among other things, to the allocation of significant funding from the Oxfordshire Housing & Growth Deal to the William Morris Close site which would enable 100% of that site to be affordable with an increase in social housing and an increase in shared ownership properties and ensuring more housing that local people can take advantage of. Further budget reports to Cabinet for other sites would follow in due course.

Cabinet resolved to:

1.    Give project approval to the proposals, to accept and distribute grant; enter into funding agreements; and any other necessary agreements or contracts, as set out in this report for sites at William Morris Close; Gibbs Crescent; and Champion Way, for the purpose of delivering more affordable housing in Oxford, through the Oxfordshire Housing and Growth Deal programme;

2.    Note that the Head of Financial Services proposes to use financial delegations for grant funded capital schemes, to make the initial payment for William Morris Close, by the required deadline;

3.    Note that the budget for further Growth Deal grant payments will be requested in future budget reports;

4.    Delegate authority to the Director of Housing, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Affordable Housing; the Head of Financial Services/Section 151 Officer; and the Council’s Monitoring Officer, to enter into funding and other necessary agreements for the purpose of delivery affordable housing through the Oxfordshire Housing and Growth Deal programme, within identified budgets, for the schemes listed in this report;

5.    Delegate authority to the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Cabinet Members for Finance and Asset Management, and Affordable Housing, to approve any agreements over £500,000 for affordable housing, within this project approval and budget envelope; and

6.    Recommend to Council that it approves a revision to the general fund capital budget in 2020/21 of £3,123,000, for the initial grant payment in relation to the William Morris Close site, and a further capital budget for 2021/22 of £347,000 to fund the remaining grant balance payable for that scheme all of which will be funded by capital grant income from Oxfordshire Housing and Growth Deal (OGD).