Purpose

To approve the additional revenue funding for
community grants and the revisions to the capital
programme.

Decision

RECOMMENDED
to Council on 17 July 2025:
 
(a) 
To agree an increase of £521,000 to the
funding to be made available under the Revenue Community Grants
scheme awards for 2025/26 – 2026/27, as detailed in appendix
one of this report, to be funded from the underspend on the 2024/25
revenue budget.

(b) 
That the following changes are made to the capital
programme 2025/26 to 2029/30:
                       
i)        
to cease further work on the “Didcot Gateway
Regeneration Schemes” capital scheme in light of impending
Local Government Reorganisation other than for workstreams in
progress.
                      
ii)        
to purchase approximately 30 homes for use as social
housing, investing up to £10 million through an addition to
the council’s approved capital programme.

(c) 
To approve the revised capital programme attached as
appendix two, and revised prudential indicators attached as
appendix three, which result from these changes.

(d) 
That a one-off supplementary estimate to the 2025/26
and 2026/27 revenue budgets of a total of £650,000 spread
across both years for revenue costs associated with the housing
purchases, funded from the underspend on the 2024/25 revenue
budget.
 
RESOLVED: That Cabinet
 
(e) 
Authorise the Head of Housing and Environment to
determine the requirements of the additional housing (including
desired location and specification), the tenancy and rents setting
and manage the acquired housing in line with the obligations of the
council as a Registered Provider of Social Housing.

(f)   
Authorise the Head of Development and Corporate
Landlord, in consultation with the Heads of Finance, Legal and
Democratic, and Housing and Environment, to approve the freehold or
leasehold acquisition of property following appropriate due
diligence and undertake the works necessary to bring it into use,
including any repairs and maintenance.