The Deputy Chief Executive - Place submitted a report to Cabinet to request that Cabinet agree to the virement of underspend in the current capital programme to increase the project budget in the capital programme for the Oxpens bridge; to accept additional funding for the construction of the bridge from external bodies, and to agree to amending and entering legal agreements as necessary for the funding, construction and transfer of the bridge.  

Cabinet is recommended to:

1.    Delegate authority to the Deputy Chief Executive - Place, in consultation with the Council’s Group Finance Director (Section 151 Officer), the Director of Law Governance and Strategy (Monitoring Officer) and the Cabinet Member for Planning and Culture to enter into legal agreements, or amend legal agreements, to secure the additional external funds required to meet the £3.7 m needed to deliver the Oxpens River Bridge and to enter an amended agreement with Oxfordshire County Council to enable the Growth Deal funding to be spent in 26/27

2.    To approve the increase in the budget for the project within in the capital programme for the Oxpens River Bridge project by £3.7 m from £10.3m to £14.00m through the virement of underspend within the capital programme 2025/26.

3.    Delegate authority to the Deputy Chief Executive - Place, in consultation with the Council’s Group Finance Director (Section 151 Officer), the Director of Law Governance and Strategy (Monitoring Officer) and the Cabinet Member for Planning and Culture to enter into a construction contract and any necessary ancillary contracts for the delivery of the bridge, subject to the necessary funds being in place.

4.    Delegate authority to the Deputy Chief Executive - Place, in consultation with the Council’s Group Finance Director (Section 151 Officer), the Director of Law Governance and Strategy (Monitoring Officer) and the Cabinet Member for Planning and Culture, to approve the transfer of the bridge to Oxfordshire County Council on completion.

Cabinet resolved to:

1. Delegate authority to the Deputy Chief Executive - Place, in consultation with the Council’s Group Finance Director (Section 151 Officer), the Director of Law Governance and Strategy (Monitoring Officer) and the Cabinet Member for Planning and Culture to enter into legal agreements, or amend legal agreements, to secure the additional external funds required to meet the £3.7 m needed to deliver the Oxpens River Bridge and to enter an amended agreement with Oxfordshire County Council to enable the Growth Deal funding to be spent in 26/27
2. To approve the increase in the budget for the project within in the capital programme for the Oxpens River Bridge project by £3.7 m from £10.3m to £14.00m through the virement of underspend within the capital programme 2025/26.
3. Delegate authority to the Deputy Chief Executive - Place, in consultation with the Council’s Group Finance Director (Section 151 Officer), the Director of Law Governance and Strategy (Monitoring Officer) and the Cabinet Member for Planning and Culture to enter into a construction contract and any necessary ancillary contracts for the delivery of the bridge, subject to the necessary funds being in place.
4. Delegate authority to the Deputy Chief Executive - Place, in consultation with the Council’s Group Finance Director (Section 151 Officer), the Director of Law Governance and Strategy (Monitoring Officer) and the Cabinet Member for Planning and Culture, to approve the transfer of the bridge to Oxfordshire County Council on completion.

The Deputy Chief Executive – Place had submitted a report to Cabinet to request that Cabinet agree to the virement of underspend in the current capital programme to increase the project budget in the capital programme for the Oxpens bridge; to accept additional funding for the construction of the bridge from external bodies, and to agree to amending and entering legal agreements as necessary for the funding, construction and transfer of the bridge.  

Councillor Hollingsworth presented the report. He highlighted key elements of the report, including the fact that the bridge had been in many different policy plans, adopted through public consultation, for about twenty years. He emphasised that the first recommendation requests delegated authority to seek external funds to support this project. Clarifying the original funding for the bridge, he said it had come from central government, the County Council was accountable for the funds, and that the City Council had taken responsibility for the delivery. He noted that if the Council decided not to proceed with this, they would have to return residual money not spent on the program to central government and could not spend the money on a different program.

Jenny Barker, the Regeneration and Development Lead, highlighted the work which had been done in the planning and approvals process for this project. She said that their timing was key and that to deliver the bridge, construction needed to take place when land is at its driest. She noted that they had agreed with the EA to do the construction in September. Responding to Scrutiny, regarding the impacts of further delays, she said that their team had concluded that further delay would move construction back to 2027. With inflationary rises in costs, this would cause an increase in the total cost of the project, between 600k and 1 million.

Councillor Munkonge thanked the team for their work on this report and said that he supported this project. He thanked Councillor Hollingsworth for the background he had provided. He emphasised that he supported the report’s aim to seek external funds first, as a way of funding the project.

Councillor Railton discussed the difficulties with alternative cycle path options in this area and how these challenges necessitated the purpose-built bridge being proposed in this project. She expressed her support for the report and the project.

Councillor Brown acknowledged the issues that had been raised and highlighted that they were there today to approve the latest round of funding for the bridge. She acknowledged the possibility of legal proceedings delaying the project and increasing costs but noted that they needed to take action accordingly. She said that she supported the report and the project.

Councillor Hollingsworth provided a summary of the report. He emphasised the third recommendation and noted that they did not yet have a contract for construction of the bridge. 

Cabinet resolved to:

1. Delegate authority to the Deputy Chief Executive - Place, in consultation with the Council’s Group Finance Director (Section 151 Officer), the Director of Law Governance and Strategy (Monitoring Officer) and the Cabinet Member for Planning and Culture to enter into legal agreements, or amend legal agreements, to secure the additional external funds required to meet the £3.7 m needed to deliver the Oxpens River Bridge and to enter an amended agreement with Oxfordshire County Council to enable the Growth Deal funding to be spent in 26/27
2. To approve the increase in the budget for the project within in the capital programme for the Oxpens River Bridge project by £3.7 m from £10.3m to £14.00m through the virement of underspend within the capital programme 2025/26.
3. Delegate authority to the Deputy Chief Executive - Place, in consultation with the Council’s Group Finance Director (Section 151 Officer), the Director of Law Governance and Strategy (Monitoring Officer) and the Cabinet Member for Planning and Culture to enter into a construction contract and any necessary ancillary contracts for the delivery of the bridge, subject to the necessary funds being in place.
4. Delegate authority to the Deputy Chief Executive - Place, in consultation with the Council’s Group Finance Director (Section 151 Officer), the Director of Law Governance and Strategy (Monitoring Officer) and the Cabinet Member for Planning and Culture, to approve the transfer of the bridge to Oxfordshire County Council on completion.