Cabinet, on 8 February 2023, (‘Implementing the Covered Market Masterplan’) resolved to:

2. Delegate authority to the Executive Director (Development), in consultation with the Council’s Section 151 Officer, the Head of Law and Governance, and the Cabinet Members for Inclusive Economy and Partnerships, Finance and Asset Management and Planning and Housing Delivery, to finalise the scope of works, undertake the necessary procurements, and enter into all contracts for the detailed design, construction works, and all associated professional services, for the regeneration of the Covered Market within the agreed budget.

To appoint Gleeds Management Services as project management lead and including project management, quantity surveying (cost consultancy) and contract administration and to support the Council to deliver the masterplan and essential works programme for the regeneration of the Covered Market.

The decision follows a competitive Find a Tender Service (FTS) compliant procurement process.

 The agreed contract sum is for RIBA Stages 2-7 inclusive at a total cost of £289,318 excluding VAT and including an allowance for contract extension to reflect the complexity of the works. The contract includes a lump sum fixed fee for RIBA Stage 2 of £28,188 excl VAT.

The costs of the contract are included within the Council approved budget of £6.87m for the delivery of the Covered market masterplan.

Cabinet, on 8 February 2023, (‘Implementing the Covered Market Masterplan’) resolved to:

2. Delegate authority to the Executive Director (Development), in consultation with the Council’s Section 151 Officer, the Head of Law and Governance, and the Cabinet Members for Inclusive Economy and Partnerships, Finance and Asset Management and Planning and Housing Delivery, to finalise the scope of works, undertake the necessary procurements, and enter into all contracts for the detailed design, construction works, and all associated professional services, for the regeneration of the Covered Market within the agreed budget.

To appoint Gort Scott Limited architects and design team lead to support the Council to deliver the masterplan and essential works programme for the regeneration of the Covered Market. The team led by Gort Scott includes the following sub-consultants: Skelly & Couch (M&E services and sustainability), Heyne Tillet Steel (structural and civil engineers), Marcus Beale (heritage), Oxford Archaeology, David Bonnett Associates (accessibility), Savills (planning consultant).

The decision follows a competitive Find a Tender Service (FTS) compliant procurement process.

The agreed contract sum is for RIBA Stages 2-7 inclusive at a total cost of £794,728 excluding VAT and including an allowance for contract extension to reflect the complexity of the works. The contract includes a lump sum fixed fee for RIBA Stage 2 of £149,519 excl VAT.

The costs of the contract are included within the Council approved budget of £6.87m for the delivery of the Covered market masterplan.

Cabinet, on 9 August 2023 (Northfield Hostel Site Additional Affordable Housing) resolved to:

1.     Grant project approval to the proposals to purchase land; enter into build contracts and any other necessary agreements or contracts and incur associated development cost spends, as set out in this report, and within the allocated Housing Revenue Account (“HRA”) capital budget and business plan, for the purpose of delivering more affordable housing in Oxford at the Northfield Hostel site;

2.     Recommend to Council that it approves a virement within the HRA capital budget for scheme costs. The virement will be from the Oxford City Housing Limited (“OCHL”) purchase line into a new scheme line to be profiled to match the build programme across the three years from 2023/24 to 2025/26;

3.     Delegate authority to the Executive Director (Development) in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Housing; the Head of Financial Services/Section 151 Officer; and the Council’s Monitoring Officer to enter into agreements for the purchase of land; build contracts; and any other necessary agreements or contracts to facilitate the development (including a Development Services Agreement with OCHL) within the identified budget, for the provision of additional affordable housing.

Council, on 2 October 2023, approved a virement within the HRA capital budget for scheme costs from the Oxford City Housing Limited (“OCHL”) purchase line into a new scheme line to be profiled to match the build programme across the three years from 2023/24 to 2025/26.

To enter into an exchange of contracts to acquire the freehold interests of the former playing field, Sandy Lane West, Littlemore.

This decision was delegated to officers under Part 4.4 of the Council’s Constitution:  All executive functions except the ones in Part 4.5 and 4.6 are delegated to the officers in the senior management structure.

The policies in the proposed Littlemore Neighbourhood Plan were subject to assessment to determine if a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) would be required.  An SEA was not deemed to be necessary.

This decision is delegated to officers under Part 4.4 of the Constitution: all executive functions except those in Parts 4.5, 4.6 and 4.7 are delegated to officers in the senior management structure.

To make a direct contract award to ODS for a total value of £153k (£139k for remedial works and £14k for consultancy costs)as per Part 19.11 of the Council’s Constitution: ‘Commissioning Oxford Direct Services Limited for one off capital schemes’.

The price for these works has been cost validated by an independent Quantity Surveyor (Burroughs). “(We) therefore confirm that we believe these prices fall into the acceptable level of pricing, on the basis that ODS will use Greenford's to carry out the works.”