Apologies were received and accepted from Councillors Thomas and Fry.

There were no declarations of interest.

The Group is asked to consider any comments and/or recommendations from the Companies’ Scrutiny Panel on matters not on the agenda.

Representatives of the Companies’ Scrutiny Panel may also comment on substantive items.

There were no recommendations from the Companies Scrutiny Panel tabled under this agenda item but members of the Companies Scrutiny Panel  contributed to the discussion on all agenda items as minuted.

If the SJVG wishes to exclude the press and the public from the meeting during consideration of any of the items on the exempt from publication part of the agenda, it will be necessary for the SJVG to pass a resolution in accordance with the provisions of Paragraph 4(2)(b) of the Local Authorities (Executive Arrangements) (Access to Information) (England) Regulations 2012 on the grounds that their presence could involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as described in specific paragraphs of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972.

The SJVG may maintain the exemption if and so long as, in all the circumstances of the case, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

The SJVG passed a resolution in accordance with the provisions of Paragraph 4(2)(b) of the Local Authorities (Executive Arrangements) (Access to Information) (England) Regulations 2012 to exclude the press and members of the public on the grounds that Oxford City Council, Town Hall, St Aldate’s Oxford OX1 1BX their presence could involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as described in specific paragraphs of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972.

The following OxPlace representatives and supporting officers are expected to attend for this item:

·         Helen Horne, Managing Director, OxPlace

·         Sarah Knight, Head of Development

·         Kerry Kyriacou, Chair of OxPlace

·         David Watt, Finance Business Partner

·         Stephen Gabriel, Director

·         Jane Winfield, Director

·         Lindsay Cane, Company Secretary

·         Michelle Chidgey, Head of Sales & Marketing

Purpose of the report

This report provides an overview of the activities of OxPlace.

The Shareholder and Joint Venture Group received a supplementary report which provided a briefing for the SJVG from the Independent Non-Executive Directors.  Kerry Kyriacou, Chair of OCHL introduced the supplementary report, and with Helen Horne, Managing Director of OCHL, answered questions from those members of the SJVG and Companies’ Scrutiny Panel present at the meeting in a private session.

The SJVG noted the report.

Helen Horne introduced the Managing Director’s report which provided an overview of the activities of OxPlace and answered questions from those members of the SJVG and Companies’ Scrutiny Panel present at the meeting in private session.

Purpose of report

The OCHL Board, on behalf of itself and its two subsidiary companies - Oxford City Housing (Investment) Limited (“OCHIL”) and Oxford City Housing (Development) Limited (“OCHDL”) - is asked to consider, and if appropriate agree, a change to the registered office of the three companies.

Recommendation

That the Oxford City Housing Limited Board, on behalf of itself and the Boards of OCHIL and OCHDL, resolves:

1.    To approve the proposal to change the registered office of each of OCHL, OCHIL and OCHDL from their current address at St. Aldate’s Chambers, 109-113 St Aldate’s, Oxford OX1 1DS to the new address of The Town Hall, St. Aldate’s, Oxford OX1 1BX. 

2.     As a change of registered office is a matter reserved to the companies’ shareholder, to make a recommendation to the companies’ Shareholder Group that the registered office of the three companies be changed in the way set out in Recommendation 1 above, and that such change be implemented no later than 1st December 2022.

The Shareholder and Joint Venture Group considered a report from the Company Secretary of the Oxford Housing Group which sought approval for the change of registered address for all three Oxford Housing Group companies.

The Shareholder and Joint Venture Group were resolved to:

1.    Change of the registered office address of Oxford City Housing Limited, Oxford City Housing (Investment) Limited and Oxford City Housing (Development) Limited from their current registered address of St Aldate’s Chambers, 109 St Aldate’s, Oxford OX1 1DS to The Town Hall, St Aldate’s, Oxford OX1 1BX.

The Shareholder and Joint Venture Group considered a report from the Company Secretary of Oxford Direct Services Ltd and Oxford Direct Services Trading Ltd which sought approval for the change of registered office address of both ODS companies.

The Shareholder and Joint Venture Group were resolved to:

1.    Change the registered office address of Oxford Direct Services Limited and Oxford Direct Services Trading Limited from their current address of St Aldate’s Chambers, 109 St Aldate’s, Oxford OX1 1DS to Cowley Marsh Depot, Marsh Road, Oxford OX4 2HH.

This report presents the Housing Group’s Financial Business Plan Refresh as at November 2022.  This Financial Business Plan Refresh has been prepared in response to the Shareholder Advisors request for additional dividends in 2025/26 and 2026/27.

The Shareholder and Joint Venture Group considered a report which had been prepared in response to the Shareholders Advisors request for additional dividends in 2025/26 and 2026/27.

Helen Horne, Managing Director of OxPlace introduced the report and answered questions from members of the Shareholder and Joint Venture Group and Companies’ Scrutiny Panel present at the meeting in a private session.

The Shareholder and Joint Venture Group noted the report.

Purpose of report

This report presents to the Shareholder the opportunities and the proposed next steps for the Housing Group to explore forming a stock holding entity to position the Group for a stable and growing future.

Recommendation

That the Shareholder resolves to:

1.    Note and comment on the content of the report and approve the principle of the Housing Group establishing a stock holding entity that can attract Homes England Grant Subsidy.

2.    Note and comment on the content of the report and approve the preferred option for delivering a stock holding entity that can attract Homes England Grant Subsidy as a For Profit Registered Provider.

3.    Note and comment on the content of the report and approve and recommend the seeking of additional accounting advice on the tax and debt treatment with particular emphasis on the profile, value and use of shared ownership future stair-casing receipts for the preferred option of a For Profit Registered Provider.

The Shareholder and Joint Venture Group considered a report which presented the opportunities and proposed next steps for the Housing Group to explore forming a stock holding entity to position the Group for a stable and growing future.

The Shareholder and Joint Venture Group resolved to:

1.    Note and comment on the content of the report and approve the principle of the Housing Group establishing a stock holding entity that can attract Homes England Grant Subsidy.

2.    Note and comment on the content of the report and approve the preferred option for delivering a stock holding entity that can attract Homes England Grant Subsidy as a For Profit Registered Provider.

3.    Note and comment on the content of the report and approve and recommend the seeking of additional accounting advice on the tax and debt treatment with particular emphasis on the profile, value and use of shared ownership future stair-casing receipts for the preferred option of a For Profit Registered Provider.

The Council’s representatives on the Limited Liability Partnership (LLP) and supporting officers:

·       Ian Brooke, Director

·       Carolyn Ploszynski, Director

·       Jane Winfield, Director

·       Sarah Knight, Head of Development (Housing Services)

Purpose of report

This report provides an update into the activities of Barton Oxford LLP (BOLLP) over the past quarter.

Recommendation

That the Shareholder and Joint Venture Group resolves to note the contents of the report.

The Shareholder and Joint Venture Group considered a report which provided an update into the activities of Barton Oxford LLP (BOLLP) over the past quarter.  Sarah Knight, Head of Development introduced the report and along with Jane Winfield, Director, answered questions from the Group as follows:

·       Future updates to the newly refreshed Steering Group and Community Employment Plan would come to this Group.

·       There would be no financial commitments around the wind down of the LLP, however this would not happen in the immediate future but would take up less officer time.

·       Ongoing issues reported by the Football Club would be managed through Sports and Leisure.

·       Countryside had exchanged on a contract with affordable housing provider and a joint press release would be implemented.

The Shareholder and Joint Venture Group resolved to note the contents of the report.

Recommendation: to approve the public and private minutes of the Shareholder and Joint Venture Group meeting on 22 June 2022 as a true and correct record.

The Shareholder and Joint Venture Group received the public and private minutes of the meeting of 22 June 2022 and resolved to agree these as a true and accurate record.