Agenda item

REPORT OF THE HEAD OF FINANCE, PERFORMANCE AND ASSET MANAGEMENT

To provide a 4th quarter update on the delivery of the key projects for 2017/18.

RESOLVED: That delivery against the key projects for 2017/18 be noted.

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

The Controls, Risk and Performance Manager presented the report entitled Year End Key Projects 2017/18 and drew attention to the following:

Office Accommodation

The final Project Board meeting was held on 11 June 2018 and this project was in the process of being signed off and the having the lessons learned recorded.

Churchgate

A Member queried why the proposed Churchgate project had not been included in this report

The Controls, Risk and Performance Manager advised that Churchgate had been removed from the 2017/18 report as the project had ceased in that year, however it would appear the 2018/19 project report, as it was part of the Corporate Plan for 2018/19.

The Chief Executive advised that the previous project had ceased, following Council’s decision not to extend the contract with Simmons. There was a potential project being worked on, but there would be no formal project until Council had decided whether or not to proceed.

Waste Contract

The Controls, Risk and Performance Manager advised that the commentary regarding the Waste Contract would be updated in the next report.

Hitchin Town Hall Community Facility and Museum

Members expressed concern that the Hitchin Town Hall and Museum project was marked as amber, yet was some way from being fully open and queried when the comments regarding this were written.

Crematorium

Members expressed concern that there did not appear to be any future targets following the submission of the planning application.

Improve use of Council Assets

Members noted that it was proposed that a property company be set up, but expressed concern that there were no future targets following this.

Reporting Dates and Traffic Light System

Members noted that the dates of the commentary varied throughout the report and asked for clarification.

A Member queried whether the traffic light system was fit for purpose as they did not seem to fit with the actual position for any project

The Controls, Risk and Performance Manager advised that the report was circulated approximately one month prior to the meeting therefore the commentary was the most recent position at that point.

In respect of the traffic light system, a review of how performance was monitored would take place in the near future and this would form part of that review.

Reporting on Long Term Projects

Members noted that reporting regarding the long term project, which crossed over more than one year, only mentioned the target for the current year. They felt that the targets for each year up to completion should at least be noted, even though reporting would only be against the current year’s target.

The Controls, Risk and Performance Manager advised that milestones that had not been completed in year, would be carried forward and continue to be reported in the following reporting year.

RESOLVED:

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

(2)       That the proposed review regarding the method of reporting consider the following:

(i)         That commentaries include the date at which that information was gathered;

(ii)        Whether the traffic light system should be used, or replaced with a more effective flagging system;

(iii)       That all targets up to completion of a project be included in the reports, even if the project is expected to span several years.

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