Issue - meetings

To receive a report by the Policy, Performance and Transformation Manager (Scrutiny) on the findings of the Project Management Select Committee and to make recommendations to Cabinet on how project management can be further improved.

That:

·  Overview and Scrutiny processes be reviewed following the Scrutiny away day, to include improved tracking of Overview and Scrutiny recommendations, improved information in reports to encourage challenge, and better decision making and analysis of Members’ skills to make better use of individual Overview and Scrutiny Panel Members;

·  Project management guidance be amended to require original Business Cases to be kept live and linked from the definition section of the Project Initiation Document (PID);

·  A session with the Programme and Projects Manager be arranged to explain the purpose of this new role and what it will achieve;

·  Project updates be included in the quarterly performance reports to Overview and Scrutiny Panels;

·  A review by the Overview & Scrutiny (Economic Well-Being) Panel be arranged for 6 months’ time to review steps followed in delivering the In-Cab Technology project and other projects currently in the delivery stage, including their procurement processes, and to assess how well the highlight reports for these projects are working;

·  A review by Members of the Project Management Select Committee be arranged for 12 months’ time to review financial reporting on projects and the post-delivery stage.

The Cabinet gave consideration to a report (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book) regarding the findings of the Project Management Select Committee of how project management could be further improved.

Following consideration of a project closedown report regarding the Multi-Storey Car Park in Huntingdon and the One Leisure St Ives Redevelopment by the Overview and Scrutiny (Economic Well-being) Panel, a Select Committee was convened to review the Council’s new Project Management procedures.

The Chairman of Overview and Scrutiny Panel (Economic Well-Being), having been invited to address the Cabinet, explained the process of the Project Management Select Committee and presented the recommendations.  It was noted that the Select Committee had been a positive and useful exercise.  The Chairman of Overview and Scrutiny Panel (Economic Well-Being) expressed appreciation to Officers for their co-operation throughout the process.

During discussions the Cabinet were informed that the Overview and Scrutiny Panel (Economic Well-Being) were satisfied with the amendments to the processes regarding scrutiny involvement in the financial control and governance of projects and that a review was scheduled in six and twelve months.

The Cabinet commended the work of the Project Management Select Committee and the Overview and Scrutiny Panel (Economic Well-Being) and

RESOLVED

That:

·  Overview and Scrutiny processes be reviewed following the Scrutiny away day, to include improved tracking of Overview and Scrutiny recommendations, improved information in reports to encourage challenge, and better decision making and analysis of Members’ skills to make better use of individual Overview and Scrutiny Panel Members;

·  Project management guidance be amended to require original Business Cases to be kept live and linked from the definition section of the Project Initiation Document (PID);

·  A session with the Programme and Projects Manager be arranged to explain the purpose of this new role and what it will achieve;

·  Project updates be included in the quarterly performance reports to Overview and Scrutiny Panels;

·  A review by the Overview & Scrutiny (Economic Well-Being) Panel be arranged for 6 months’ time to review steps followed in delivering the In-Cab Technology project and other projects currently in the delivery stage, including their procurement processes, and to assess how well the highlight reports for these projects are working;

·  A review by Members of the Project Management Select Committee be arranged for 12 months’ time to review financial reporting on projects and the post-delivery stage.

To consider a report on the findings and recommendations of the Project Management Select Committee.

The Panel received and noted a report (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book) on the findings and recommendations of the Project Management Select Committee, which will be submitted to Cabinet 23 April 2015.

RESOLVED

that the Cabinet be recommended to approve the recommendations contained in the report now submitted.