Issue - meetings

Cabinet Member: Travel & Development Strategy

Forward Plan Ref: 2022/248

Contact: Lorna Baxter, Director of Finance (S151 Officer), lorna.baxter@oxfordshire.gov.uk

Report by Chief Executive (CA12).

Cabinet to approve the Oxfordshire Housing and Growth Deal Programme.

The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to

a)              Subject to the decision of the Future Oxfordshire Partnership on 20 March 2023, request the Chief Executive of the Council to write to Department for Levelling Up Housing and Communities (DHLUC’) to formally accept the terms of the letter from DHLUC to Oxfordshire Leaders and Oxfordshire County Council’s Chief Executive dated 5 December 2022 (Annex 1).

b)              Agree that in accepting the terms of the letter at Annex 1, the Council will, as accountable body and in consultation with the relevant District or City Council regarding the impact on accelerated housing numbers, take responsibility for decisions necessary to manage the programme in accordance with the updated conditions set out by DLUHC.

c)              Note that it will be necessary to agree revised Terms of Reference and Memorandum of Understanding for the Future Oxfordshire Partnership to reflect the change in responsibility as set out in recommendation 2.

Recommendations approved with spelling corrections:

a)          Subject to the decision of the Future Oxfordshire Partnership on 20 March 2023, request the Chief Executive of the Council to write to Department for Levelling Up Housing and Communities (DLUHC) to formally accept the terms of the letter from DLUHC to Oxfordshire Leaders and Oxfordshire County Council’s Chief Executive dated 5 December 2022 (Annex 1).

b)          Agree that in accepting the terms of the letter at Annex 1, the Council will, as accountable body and in consultation with the relevant District or City Council regarding the impact on accelerated housing numbers, take responsibility for decisions necessary to manage the programme in accordance with the updated conditions set out by DLUHC.

c)          Note that it will be necessary to agree revised Terms of Reference and Memorandum of Understanding for the Future Oxfordshire Partnership to reflect the change in responsibility as set out in recommendation 2.

Cabinet considered a report updating the existing financial governance arrangements following the receipt of updated requirements for the release of the remaining £30m grant funding.

Councillor Duncan Enright, Cabinet Member for Travel & Development Strategy, summarised the report as a procedural exercise to deal with the decision by the Future Oxfordshire Partnership to end the Oxfordshire Plan 2050.  The Department proposed additional criteria relating primarily to strengthened reporting requirements and also a proposed change in payment methodology.  There have been a number of meetings to clarify the points and Councillor Enright was happy to propose the recommendation from the report.

Councillor Hannaby seconded the recommendations and they were agreed.

RESOLVED:

a)          Subject to the decision of the Future Oxfordshire Partnership on 20 March 2023, request the Chief Executive of the Council to write to Department for Levelling Up Housing and Communities (DLUHC) to formally accept the terms of the letter from DLUHC to Oxfordshire Leaders and Oxfordshire County Council’s Chief Executive dated 5 December 2022 (Annex 1).

b)          Agree that in accepting the terms of the letter at Annex 1, the Council will, as accountable body and in consultation with the relevant District or City Council regarding the impact on accelerated housing numbers, take responsibility for decisions necessary to manage the programme in accordance with the updated conditions set out by DLUHC.

c)          Note that it will be necessary to agree revised Terms of Reference and Memorandum of Understanding for the Future Oxfordshire Partnership to reflect the change in responsibility as set out in recommendation 2.