This decision will ensure the business case of the masterplan is as accurate as possible. The masterplan will create a robust vision for the successful long-term future of market and its traders, under the stewardship of the City Council.

To allocate an additional £40,000 of feasibility funding to the Covered Market masterplan work.

The scope changes comprise: understanding the potential to move the electricity substation; undertaking a transport survey; more detailed analysis of potential changes to the service yard and Market Street; procuring commercial agents; engaging a quantity surveyor to cost the asset management and maintenance plan; increasing amount of professional support for trader consultation; receiving formal transport advice from the County Council.

The budget increase also includes a 5% contingency allocation, so that any future small budget increase requests could be reviewed by the Project Board. Before this decision, the total approved feasibility budget for the project was £115,500. After this decision, the total feasibility budget for the project is therefore £155,500

The appointment of legal advisors will ensure the Council’s legal interests are properly addressed in the drafting of the collaboration agreement. The procurement of commercial and legal advisors for the partnership will enable work to be progressed towards the procurement and selection of a development partner to support the delivery of development on the site.

The decision is:

•           to appoint Anthony Collins as legal advisors to Oxford City Council to advise upon and draft a collaboration agreement to govern the existing partnership arrangements between Oxford City Council, Magdalen College and Thames Water, further to the tender process of summer 2020, with revised fee in July 2021 of the sum of £15,230;

•           to commence a procurement exercise to jointly procure a consultant to act for the above 3 parties in securing a development partner (such appointment to be subject to Cabinet approval in October 2021, and funding agreement in place for reimbursement of a third of the cost from each of the other two partners);

•           to commence a procurement exercise to jointly procure an external legal advisor to act for the above 3 partners in respect of procuring a development partner and their partnership work at South Oxford Science Village (SOSV). Such legal advice will support the Council to work with partners to bring forward the site for the development identified in the emerging South Oxfordshire District Council (SODC) local plan. (such appointment to be subject to Cabinet approval in October 2021, and funding agreement in place for the reimbursement of a third of the cost from each of the other two partners).

A budget has been allocated to progress SOSV and this will cover the cost of the appointment of Anthony Collins to advise the Council on the collaboration agreement.

The cost of the appointment of the consultants is expected to be up to £200,000 and the appointment of the external legal advisors to the 3 partners is expected to be up to £200,000. These appointments will be considered at the Cabinet meeting in October 2021. Subject to a funding agreement being entered into with the other 2 partners it is anticipated that two thirds of the costs of these appointments will be recovered with the Council’s exposure being £66,000 for each of the two contracts.

A sole cater to provide both the event catering and café provision, which would assist targeting wider audiences and develop our product in current and new markets. A sole caterer will:

1.    Bring our product in line with our competitors to make an attractive commercial offer

2.    Enable income recovery from the pandemic and generate extra income as budgeted

3.    Launch an improved product & service offering, to ensure our place in the market is appropriate to potential clients we wish to target

4.    Streamline the customer journey and improve the service we offer to our clients

5.    Improve the wider visitor experience to the Town Hall to tie in with the Museum opening in 2021

To award the contract to Elegant Cuisine for the provision of the Town Hall Café and events catering following a competitive tender exercise.

The introduction of a Public Spaces Protection Order in four areas of the city is intended to address anti-social behaviour such as fires and bottle digging.

To adopt a public spaces protection order (PSPO) covering four areas of the city with the aim of addressing anti-social behaviour in parks and green spaces. The areas are:

·         South Park

·         Angel and Greyhound Meadow

·         Rivermead Nature Reserve

Port Meadow, Burgess Field and Wolvercote Common.

To instruct an architect-led team to undertake a high level feasibility study to explore the potential of utilising Oxford Town Hall more intensively for Council business requirements, in order to rationalise use of the existing Council estate. The project will also identify options for the potential future refurbishment and use of St Aldates Chambers (SAC), which is the main OCC office and home to the customer service centre. This work will be used to inform the development of a business case for any change and a future Council investment decision.

The appointment of consultants to undertake a high level feasibility study to look at potential future refurbishment and use of options for Oxford Town Hall and St Aldates Chambers on the basis of the tendered sum plus contingency (10%), £37,750 (excluding VAT).

To authorise the transfer by purchase by Oxford City Council of the extensively refurbished 3 bedroom house, new build 3 and 5 bedroom house delivered through the OCHDL Extensions programme. Contributing to the Councils overall Affordable Housing provision.

1. To authorise the transfer by sale of land at the former Lucy Faithfull House site on Speedwell Street to Oxford City Housing (Development) Limited for a consideration of £1

2. To authorise the transfer by purchase of the land and 26 affordable housing units from Oxford City Housing (Development) Limited by the Council’s Housing Revenue Account (HRA) for a consideration of £10,250,000 in total.