Issue - meetings

Report of the Corporate Director (Regeneration).

The Corporate Director (Regeneration) submitted a report proposing a new corporate approach, including the establishment of a central, corporate team, for the management of programmes and external funding and project delivery.

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

Option 1

The proposal is to create three new teams with specific responsibilities for (i) programme management and external funds, (ii) regeneration project delivery, and (iii) worklessness, with effect from 1^st April 2009.

(i)    Programme management and external funds

The proposal suggests a core, established team, which can provide the capacity guarantees that will be required and can deal with the level of work that is known at this time.  It assumes further development of close working relationships with other corporate services and an exchange of expertise with those services.  It specifically suggests the transfer of the Projects and Performance Officer into the team to ensure that the approach to project management (LAMP) is integrated with project monitoring and vice versa and also reinforce the link with performance monitoring for all projects.  In the case of other specific officers, where there are clear overlapping interests, it may be useful to arrange part-time secondments into the team to work jointly on key developments. This can be flexible and short term or ongoing, depending on the requirements.   The way in which the proposed new team works with existing services has been developed in consultation and is flexible, adaptable and focused on achieving results.

This approach also offers the opportunity to capture the Council’s contribution to the overall model and identify this as match funding, offering value for money to external funders whilst not incurring additional costs for the Council. 

The philosophy behind this approach is very much about enabling strong delivery and achievements, supported by good management and sound processes.  There is a very clear focus on end results and the presentation of the approach is centred on facilitation, improvement and cooperation.

(ii)   Regeneration Projects Team

With regards to the actual delivery of major projects, the Council currently has officers who operate out of several different services, and provides for a mixture of core funded staff on permanent contracts, and externally funded staff on temporary, short term contracts.

The proposal is to organise officers into a core team within Planning Services.  This would ensure that a consistent, corporate approach is taken to the delivery methodologies of all major projects.  It will also provide for a strong core team who can facilitate working up the detail of regeneration projects, and provide capacity for delivery, whilst at the same time ensuring full conformity with the LDF.  This team should also include two posts currently allocated into Strategic Housing, which deliver housing capital projects in the Poulton and West End renewal projects.  It is anticipated that this team would ensure a strong corporate direction is taken in delivering the requirements of the Council’s approved Local Development Framework document, and will provide strong  ...  view the full minutes text for item 145