The Head of Housing Services submitted a report to Cabinet on 10 November 2021 seeking authorisation to purchase and develop accommodation for the purpose of delivering more affordable housing in Oxford.

The Cabinet decisions are set out in the minutes of that meeting (included in this agenda).

Cabinet Member Cllr Blackings will present the report and propose Cabinet’s recommendations.

Recommendation:

Cabinet recommends that Council resolves to

1.    approve a capital budget in the General Fund for £1,650,000 of expenditure in 2021/22, subsidised using £660,000 of Retained Right to Buy Receipts, to enable the acquisition and refurbishment of Roken House;

2.    approve a capital budget in the Housing Revenue Account for £2m expenditure in 2021/22, subsidised using £800,000 of Retained Right to Buy Receipts, to enable further property acquisition activity in the last two quarters of 2021/22.

Council considered a report from the Head of Housing Services seeking authorisation to purchase and develop accommodation for the purpose of delivering more affordable housing in Oxford.

Cllr Blackings, Cabinet Member for Affordable Housing, Housing Security, and Housing the Homeless introduced the report, proposed the recommendations and answered questions.

The recommendations were agreed on being seconded and put to the vote.

Council resolved to:

1. approve a capital budget in the General Fund for £1,650,000 of expenditure in 2021/22, subsidised using £660,000 of Retained Right to Buy Receipts, to enable the acquisition and refurbishment of Roken House;

2.     approvea capital budget in the Housing Revenue Account for £2m expenditure in 2021/22, subsidised using £800,000 of Retained Right to Buy Receipts, to enable further property acquisition activity in the last two quarters of 2021/22.

The Head of Housing Services has submitted a report which seeks project approval and delegations to enable the spending of Retained Right to Buy Receipts for the purpose of delivering more affordable housing, through new build or acquisition activity.

Cabinet is recommended to:

1.    Give project approval to the proposals to purchase and develop accommodation, as set out in this report, and within the allocated capital budgets, for the purpose of delivering more affordable housing in Oxford;

2.    Note that the proposals set out in this report, in relation to Retained Right to Buy Receipts have informed the budget setting process and that the implications for budgets are to be included within the 2022/23 consultation budget;

3.    Recommend to Council that a capital budget in the General Fund for £1,650,000 of expenditure, subsidised using £660,000 of Retained Right to Buy Receipts, is approved in 2021/22, to enable the acquisition and refurbishment of Roken House;

4.    Recommend to Council that a capital budget in the Housing Revenue Account for £2m expenditure, subsidised using £800,000 of Retained Right to Buy Receipts, is approved in 2021/22, to enable further property acquisition activity in the last two quarters of 2021/22;

5.    Delegate authority to the Executive Director for Communities and People, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Affordable Housing, Housing Security and Housing the Homeless; the Head of Financial Services; and the Head of Law and Governance, to enter into agreement for the award of grant, contractual arrangement and/or spend, for the provision of additional affordable housing, using Retained Right to Buy Receipts, within this project approval; and

6.    Delegate authority to the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Finance and Asset Management; the Cabinet Member for Affordable Housing, Housing Security and Housing the Homeless; the Head of Financial Services; and the Head of Law and Governance, to approve any property purchase or development delivery over £500,000 for affordable housing, within this project approval.

The Head of Housing Services had submitted a report which sought project approval and delegations to enable the spending of Retained Right to Buy Receipts for the purpose of delivering more affordable housing, through new build or acquisition activity.

In the absence of Cllr Blackings, Cabinet Member for Affordable Housing, Housing Security and Housing the Homeless, the report was introduced by Cllr Alex Hollingsworth, Cabinet Member for Planning and Housing Delivery.  The report sought to ensure that Retained Right to Buy Receipts   are spent for the purposes of delivering more affordable housing and before the deadline for doing so imposed by central Government.  The proposals included the prospective purchase of Roken House in Lake Street to provide supported temporary accommodation for complex/high need single clients.

Dave Scholes, Affordable Housing Supply Corporate Lead, was pleased to report that good progress was being made with ensuring that all Retained Right to Buy Receipts  were being spent within the time limits for them.

Cabinet resolved to:

1.    Give project approval to the proposals to purchase and develop accommodation, as set out in this report, and within the allocated capital budgets, for the purpose of delivering more affordable housing in Oxford;

2.    Note that the proposals set out in this report, in relation to Retained Right to Buy Receipts have informed the budget setting process and that the implications for budgets are to be included within the 2022/23 consultation budget;

3.    Recommend to Council that a capital budget in the General Fund for £1,650,000 of expenditure, subsidised using £660,000 of Retained Right to Buy Receipts, is approved in 2021/22, to enable the acquisition and refurbishment of Roken House;

4.    Recommend to Council that a capital budget in the Housing Revenue Account for £2m expenditure, subsidised using £800,000 of Retained Right to Buy Receipts, is approved in 2021/22, to enable further property acquisition activity in the last two quarters of 2021/22;

5.    Delegate authority to the Executive Director for Communities and People, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Affordable Housing, Housing Security and Housing the Homeless; the Head of Financial Services; and the Head of Law and Governance, to enter into agreement for the award of grant, contractual arrangement and/or spend, for the provision of additional affordable housing, using Retained Right to Buy Receipts, within this project approval; and

6.    Delegate authority to the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Finance and Asset Management; the Cabinet Member for Affordable Housing, Housing Security and Housing the Homeless; the Head of Financial Services; and the Head of Law and Governance, to approve any property purchase or development delivery over £500,000 for affordable housing, within this project approval.