The Executive Director (Development) has submitted a report to seek further project approvals and delegations to enable the continued delivery of more affordable housing in Oxford.

Cabinet is recommended to:

1.    Give project approval for the acquisition of affordable dwellings developed by Oxford City Homes Ltd (OCHL) for which budgetary provision has been made in the Council’s Housing Revenue Account in respect of:

a)    Oxford North (referenced in paragraphs 9 to 18 of the report), and

b)    Goose Green, Wolvercote (referenced in paragraphs 19 to 34 of the report), and

c)    Meadow Lane, Iffley (referenced in paragraphs 35 to 49 of the report);

2.    Delegate authority to the Executive Director (Development),in consultation with the Executive Director (Communities and People); the Cabinet Member for Housing; the Head of Financial Services/Section 151 Officer; and the Head of Law and Governance/Monitoring Officer,to finalise the scheme design and financial appraisals and enter into agreements and contracts to facilitate the agreed purchase by the Council of the affordable housing (to be held in the HRA) and any associated land, within the identified budget,for the provision of the affordable housing (111 affordable homes) on the Oxford North development, within the project approval;

3.    Delegate authority to the Executive Director (Communities and People) in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Planning and Housing Delivery; the Cabinet Member for Housing; the Head of Financial Services/Section 151 Officer and the Head of Law and Governance/Monitoring Officerto finalise the scheme design and financial appraisals and enter into agreements and contracts to facilitate the purchase by the Council of the social rent and shared ownership homes (to be held in the HRA) and any associated land, within the identified budget and within this project approval forGoose Green, Wolvercote (16 affordable homes);

4.    Delegate authority to the Executive Director (Development),in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Finance and Asset Management; the Head of Financial Services/Section 151 Officer; and the Head of Law and Governance/Monitoring Officer,to approve the final terms and enter into the transfer in relation to Goose Green from the General Fund to OCHL;

5.    Delegate authority to the Executive Director (Development),in consultation with the Executive Director (Communities and People); the Cabinet Member for Housing; the Head of Financial Services/Section 151 Officer; and the Head of Law and Governance/Monitoring Officer,to finalise the scheme design and financial appraisals and enter into agreements and contracts to facilitate the agreed purchase by the Council of the affordable housing (to be held in the HRA) and any associated land, from OCHL, for the provision of the affordable housing on the Meadow Lane, Iffley development (32 affordable homes), and within the identified budget and this project approval; and

6.    Recommend to Council that it approves a revision to the HRA capital budget of an additional £825,000, with the realignment of budgets and schemes within the HRA new build programme, in order for the schemes listed below to be delivered within the capital programme funded predominantly from borrowing.  This additional spend to be profiled into 2024/25.

a)    Increase Northfield Hostel budget by £3.25m (see paragraph 52)

b)    Increase Lanham Way budget by £361k (see paragraph 53)

c)    Reduce East Oxford Community Centre budget by £700k (see paragraph 54)

d)    Close Juniper Close scheme (see paragraph 55).

The Executive Director (Development) had submitted a report to seek further project approvals and delegations to enable the continued delivery of more affordable housing in Oxford.

The Cabinet Member for Housing, Councillor Linda Smith, highlighted that the proposal (subject to the necessary planning consents) concerned the purchase of 111 new affordable homes within the Oxford North development and 16 affordable homes at an adjacent site at Goose Green (owned by the Council and with access to be improved as part of the Oxford North development).  Approval was also sought for the purchase of 32 affordable homes at Meadow Lane (subject to planning consent) and the adjustment of the HRA capital budgets for a number of other schemes.  The latter included increasing the available budgets for the planned developments at Northfield Hostel, Lanham Way; reducing the budget for East Oxford Community Centre, and closing the Juniper Close scheme.

Cabinet resolved to:

1.    Give project approval for the acquisition of affordable dwellings developed by Oxford City Homes Ltd (OCHL) for which budgetary provision has been made in the Council’s Housing Revenue Account in respect of:

a)    Oxford North (referenced in paragraphs 9 to 18 of the report), and

b)    Goose Green, Wolvercote (referenced in paragraphs 19 to 34 of the report), and

c)    Meadow Lane, Iffley (referenced in paragraphs 35 to 49 of the report);

2.    Delegate authority to the Executive Director (Development),in consultation with the Executive Director (Communities and People); the Cabinet Member for Housing; the Head of Financial Services/Section 151 Officer; and the Head of Law and Governance/Monitoring Officer,to finalise the scheme design and financial appraisals and enter into agreements and contracts to facilitate the agreed purchase by the Council of the affordable housing (to be held in the HRA) and any associated land, within the identified budget,for the provision of the affordable housing (111 affordable homes) on the Oxford North development, within the project approval;

3.    Delegate authority to the Executive Director (Communities and People) in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Planning and Housing Delivery; the Cabinet Member for Housing; the Head of Financial Services/Section 151 Officer and the Head of Law and Governance/Monitoring Officerto finalise the scheme design and financial appraisals and enter into agreements and contracts to facilitate the purchase by the Council of the social rent and shared ownership homes (to be held in the HRA) and any associated land, within the identified budget and within this project approval forGoose Green, Wolvercote (16 affordable homes);

4.    Delegate authority to the Executive Director (Development),in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Finance and Asset Management; the Head of Financial Services/Section 151 Officer; and the Head of Law and Governance/Monitoring Officer,to approve the final terms and enter into the transfer in relation to Goose Green from the General Fund to OCHL;

5.    Delegate authority to the Executive Director (Development),in consultation with the Executive Director (Communities and People); the Cabinet Member for Housing; the Head of Financial Services/Section 151 Officer; and the Head of Law and Governance/Monitoring Officer,to finalise the scheme design and financial appraisals and enter into agreements and contracts to facilitate the agreed purchase by the Council of the affordable housing (to be held in the HRA) and any associated land, from OCHL, for the provision of the affordable housing on the Meadow Lane, Iffley development (32 affordable homes), and within the identified budget and this project approval; and

6.    Recommend to Council that it approves a revision to the HRA capital budget of an additional £825,000, with the realignment of budgets and schemes within the HRA new build programme, in order for the schemes listed below to be delivered within the capital programme funded predominantly from borrowing.  This additional spend to be profiled into 2024/25.

a)    Increase Northfield Hostel budget by £3.25m (see report paragraph 52)

b)    Increase Lanham Way budget by £361k (see report paragraph 53)

c)    Reduce East Oxford Community Centre budget by £700k (see report paragraph 54)

d)    Close Juniper Close scheme (see report paragraph 55).