Issue - meetings

Lancaster District Vision - update on progress

 

 

Meeting: 08/07/2008 - Cabinet (Item 22)

22 Lancaster District Economic Vision pdf icon PDF 38 KB

(Cabinet Members with Special Responsibility Councillors Evelyn Archer and Abbott Bryning)

 

Report of Corporate Director (Regeneration).

Additional documents:

Minutes:

(Cabinet Members with Special Responsibility Councillors Evelyn Archer and Abbott Bryning)

 

The Corporate Director (Regeneration) submitted a report providing an update on both the management arrangements and key projects within the Lancaster District Economic Vision.  It provided background to the strategic context for the Vision and funding arrangements, including the potential for regeneration funds to be delegated to the Council. The report recommended the means by which the Council might manage the development of the Vision projects and also proposed the means by which the range of projects within the Vision might be reviewed and adapted over time.

 

The options, options analysis, including risk assessment were set out in the report as follows:

 

 

Options

 

Approach

Advantages

Disadvantages

Risks

Option 1

Do nothing.  Initiate no changes and continue to apply for NWDA funding on a project by project basis

 

·   North West Development Agency (NWDA) currently undertakes the full project appraisal for all projects, whilst the Council is able to concentrate on local appraisal issues and risk

·  It is difficult to ensure that local priorities are fully recognised

·  There is less opportunity to ensure that a strategic approach to the Vision is taken as each project is likely to be seen in isolation

·  Performance in terms of high level outcomes and impact is very difficult to evaluate. 

·  Progress is slow due to additional stages in the decision making processes required.

·The level of bureaucracy is increased at all stages as there is the requirement to bring all decision making arrangements together at local and regional level.

·       There are some risks to the Council as Accountable Body for individual projects.  Risks include potential clawback of funds if projects fail to perform.

 

 

Option 2

Seek a delegation of funds from NWDA to support a programme of activity in the District

·   A far more strategic approach is possible that takes account of a whole programme of activity rather than individual projects.  This includes the potential to forward plan against a longer timeline and capitalise on other funding opportunities that support strategic objectives

·   There is an opportunity to increase the level of local engagement with partnerships at district level.

·   Performance monitoring and management would fit much better as part of a programme management approach allowing more easily for evaluation of outcomes and impacts across the district.

·   Management arrangements within the Council would be far less complex and a programme management approach would be more straightforward

·   Approval processes would be quicker and more controllable.

 

·          The Council would take on additional responsibilities for project appraisal and approval arrangements

·       There are some risks to the Council as Accountable Body for a programme of activity. Risks include potential clawback if projects within the programme fail to perform.

 

The Officer preferred option was option 2. This approach offered many benefits in terms of strategic programme management and ensuring that local priorities were fully recognised.  In terms of risk, the Council had robust systems in place to identify and manage risks at both project and programme level.  There was no additional  ...  view the full minutes text for item 22