Issue - meetings

Report of Head of Transformation

Summary

To provide an update on progress toward implementing robust governance of major change projects, following the approval by Members in January of resources to support major projects.

Recommendations

The Executive is recommended, subject to South Northamptonshire Cabinet resolving in similar terms, to:

(1)               Approve the amended governance structure for the Council’s major projects detailed at Appendix 1

(2)               Note the requirement for member nominations for each of the major projects, and additional project board members where required

(3)               Agree that the Programme Board responsibilities in respect of the Transformation Programme be absorbed into the remit of the Joint Arrangements Steering Group (JASG) and that the JASG terms of reference be varied accordingly as shown in Appendix 2

Recommendations approved, subject to the following amendment to recommendation 2:

(2)               That the following Members be appointed to the Place Programme Board: Councillor Barry Wood (Programme Owner and Bicester Eco Town Project); Councillor Norman Bolster (Bicester Town Centre Project); Councillor John Donaldson (Banbury Brighter Futures); and, Councillor Michael Gibbard (Banbury Developments).

That the following Members be appointed to the Transformation Programme Board: Councillor Nicholas Turner (ICT Standardisation and Harmonisation) and Councillor Barry Wood (Service Transformation).  

The Head of Transformation submitted a report which provided an update on progress toward implementing robust governance of major change projects, following the approval by Members in January of resources to support major projects.

Resolved

Subject to South Northamptonshire Cabinet resolving in similar terms:

(1)               That the amended governance structure for the Council’s major projects be approved.

(2)               That the following Members be appointed to the Place Programme Board: Councillor Barry Wood (Programme Owner and Bicester Eco Town Project); Councillor Norman Bolster (Bicester Town Centre Project); Councillor John Donaldson (Banbury Brighter Futures); and, Councillor Michael Gibbard (Banbury Developments).

(3)               That the following Members be appointed to the Transformation Programme Board: Councillor Nicholas Turner (ICT Standardisation and Harmonisation) and Councillor Barry Wood (Service Transformation). 

(4)               That it be agreed that the Programme Board responsibilities in respect of the Transformation Programme be absorbed into the remit of the Joint Arrangements Steering Group (JASG) and that the JASG terms of reference be varied accordingly.

Reasons

This governance arrangement is intended to implement a common approach and standard based on project management methodology, to ensure that we are able to effectively plan the use of resources against corporate objectives, manage risk and drive improvement.

The establishment of the shared Programme Manager post, combined with a shared common approach to performance management and risk presents an opportunity to bring consistency to project management, which is currently lacking in both Councils.

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