Agenda item

REPORT OF THE HEAD OF FINANCE, PERFORMANCE AND ASSET MANAGEMENT

To consider the second quarter report regarding projects identified in the Corporate Plan.

RESOLVED:

(1)       That delivery against the key projects for 2017/18 be noted;

(2)       That the Controls, Risk and Performance Manager be requested to include a deadline for comment when circulating monitoring reports to Members prior to a meeting;

(3)       That the Chief Executive be requested to present a list of lessons learnt from previous projects to the next meeting of this Committee;

REASON FOR DECISION: To enable the Overview and Scrutiny Committee to consider and comment on the Second Quarter Monitoring Report on Key Projects for 2017-18.

The Controls, Risk and Performance Manager presented the report entitled Second Quarter Monitoring Report on Key Projects for 2017-18 and drew attention to the following:

Bancroft Gardens MUGA

As agreed at the last meeting of this Committee, the Bancroft Gardens MUGA had been removed from the report, as it was fully dependent on securing additional funding. This project would be added back into the report, once funding had been secured

Office Accommodation

There had been a lot of progress on this project with a few floors already having been snagged. The project was on target to handover in January 2018.

Community Facility at Hitchin Town Hall and District Museum

Members asked for an update regarding the Museum

The Chief Executive advised that negotiations regarding the acquisition of 14/15 Brand Street were continuing.

Community Leases

Royston Community Association had signed a 25 year lease regarding Coombes Community Centre.

In respect of the Grange, constitutional issues were being investigated and worked on.

Members asked for an update regarding St Michaels Mount and Walsworth Community Association

The Controls, Risk and Performance Manager advised that work was continuing and moving forward regarding these community centres.

Development of a Crematorium in North Hertfordshire

The project was marked as amber due to the decision to present a pre-planning application.

The pre-planning application had been submitted to Central Beds Council and the outcome was favourable

The outline planning permission was currently being prepared with a view to being submitted later in the year.

Consultation had begun with North Herts residents via the District Wide Survey.

Members queried whether there had yet been any response from Central Beds regarding the pre-application stage.

The Chief Executive advised that the pre application response had been very positive and that work was being undertaken towards submitting a full application.

Local Plan

The timetable set for the Local Plan was no longer achievable as the examination, that was initially due to end in December 2017 had been extended into March 2018.

Circulation of Report prior to the Meeting

The Controls, Risk and Performance Manager asked Members whether they still wished for this report to be circulated one month in advance of the meeting.

Members agreed that circulating the report was valuable, however a deadline should be set for Members to comment.

General Comments

A Member noted that a significant number of projects were behind schedule and that this demonstrated an issue about the process that the Council used to deal with matters.

Either there was not a satisfactory and efficient process or targets that were being set were unrealistic and unachievable.

The Chief Executive advised that there was an issue as to whether NHDC was in sole charge of a project or working with other parties.

Working with other parties could remove control over deadlines, but that did not mean that realistic deadlines should not be set.

Members discussed whether the recommendations of the Task and Finish Group on Larger Projects should be reviewed in order to asses whether those that had been accepted had the expected effect and whether those that had not been accepted would have made a difference.

They also considered whether the right staff were leading and managing projects and whether project managers should be employed to oversee specific projects.

Members suggested that the Chief Executive investigate whether other authorities employed people with specialist knowledge for specific projects.

They acknowledged that it was necessary on occasion to amend target dates and deadlines, but felt that the original dates should be retained and reported for reference.

Members asked that the Chief Executive present a list of lessons learnt from previous projects to the next meeting of this Committee so that the Committee can discuss this further.

RESOLVED:

(1)       That delivery against the key projects for 2017/18 be noted;

(2)       That the Controls, Risk and Performance Manager be requested to include a deadline for comment when circulating monitoring reports to Members prior to a meeting;

(3)       That the Chief Executive be requested to present a list of lessons learnt from previous projects to the next meeting of this Committee;

REASON FOR DECISION: To enable the Overview and Scrutiny Committee to consider and comment on the Second Quarter Monitoring Report on Key Projects for 2017-18.