The Executive Director (Development) has submitted a report seeking Cabinet approval for variation to the schemes to be funded from the £1m Growth Deal funding previously approved in March 2020 and the return of funds to Oxfordshire County Council for the delivery of the Marston Road Crossing improvement.

Cabinet is recommended to:

1.      Approve a variation to the schemes to be funded from the £1m Growth Deal funding (previously approved in March 2020) as set out at Appendix 2;

2.      Delegate authority to the Executive Director (Development) in consultation with the Head of Financial Services/Section 151 Officer, The Head of Law and Governance and the Cabinet Member for Health and Transport to make any further variations to the schemes, and any amendments to the funding agreement,  that are within the approved budget and comply with the requirements of the Growth Deal Funding Agreement;

3.      Agree the return of £140k to Oxfordshire County Council for the delivery of the Marston Road Crossing improvement which has been absorbed into a larger scheme; and

4.      Delegate authority to the Executive Director (Development) in consultation with the Head of Financial Services/Section 151 Officer, the Head of Law and Governance and the Cabinet Member for Health and Transport to appoint contractors and award contracts to deliver the Growth Deal cycle schemes in accordance with the contract rules contained in the Council’s Constitution.

The Executive Director (Development) had submitted a report seeking Cabinet approval for variation to the schemes to be funded from the £1m Growth Deal funding previously approved in March 2020 and the return of funds to Oxfordshire County Council for the delivery of the Marston Road Crossing improvement.

The Cabinet Member for Health and Transport reported that c £1m of Growth Deal funding had been provided by the County Council in 2020 in order to provide four off-road cycle routes, which at that stage were very loosely scoped.  On further investigation it had been identified that two of the four schemes would not be able to proceed.  Alternative schemes had subsequently been found which would address the same need for off-road cycle routes, although in different locations.  Approval was therefore sought to switch the funding from the schemes which could not be delivered to those which could.  It was also proposed that a small amount of money should be returned to the County Council for a crossing improvement at Marston Road which would now be undertaken by the County Council as part of a larger scheme.

Cabinet resolved to:

1.      Approve a variation to the schemes to be funded from the £1m Growth Deal funding previously approved in March 2020 as set out at Appendix 2;

2.      Delegate authority to the Executive Director (Development) in consultation with the Head of Financial Services / S151 Officer, the Head of Law and Governance and the Cabinet Member for Health and Transport to make any further variations to the schemes, and any amendments to the funding agreement that are within the approved budget and comply with the requirements of the Growth Deal Funding Agreement;

3.      Agree the return of £140k to Oxfordshire County Council for the delivery of the Marston Road crossing improvement which has been absorbed into a larger scheme; and

4.      Delegate authority to the Executive Director (Development) in consultation with the Head of Financial Services / S151 Officer, the Head of Law and Governance and the Cabinet Member for Health and Transport to appoint contractors and award contracts to deliver the Growth Deal cycle schemes in accordance with the contract rules contained in the Council’s Constitution.