Issue - meetings

At its meeting on 31 March 2022, the Council had referred the following Notice of Motion from Councillor Roberts to the Executive.

“The council undertakes programmes of work to deliver benefits to the borough and controls are put in place to ensure the work is delivered on time, on budget and to scope. Whilst delivering to scope should result in the delivery of benefits, it may not always be the case. Complex projects spanning many years can require interim decisions to balance budgets, timescales, and scope because of issues arising throughout the life of the project. 

This council is committed to both best practice and transparent project reporting including benefits tracking from the point at which it is considered for approval by members through to the conclusion and delivery of the project.

This council will therefore investigate how it will implement benefits management on all major projects as part of existing standard project controls such as risk and issues management.”

Before it had been considered by the Executive, Councillor Roberts had suggested an amendment to the wording following discussion with Officers as follows:

“The council undertakes programmes of work to deliver benefits to the borough and controls are put in place to ensure the work is delivered on time, on budget and to scope. Whilst delivering to scope should result in the delivery of benefits, it may not always be the case. Complex projects spanning many years can require interim decisions to balance budgets, timescales, and scope because of issues arising throughout the life of the project. 

This council is committed to both best practice and transparent project reporting including benefits tracking from the point at which it is considered for approval by members through to the conclusion and delivery of the project.

This council will therefore investigate how it will improve its current benefits management practices to ensure that changes to benefits are tracked during the execution phase and reported to any council meeting in which project decisions are being made or project updates are being received by members.  Also to report back, to full council, an analysis of any differences to the benefits captured at the time the project was approved against benefits realised at project closure.”

The Executive had welcomed the amended Motion and had agreed to recommend it to Council.  The Portfolio Holder, Councillor Barker, introduced the recommendation.  Members of the Council welcomed the proposals, which would provide for the wider management of benefits from projects of the Council.

RESOLVED

That the motion, as amended by the Executive, be approved.

Reporting Person – Corporate Leadership Team

At its meeting on 31 March 2022, the Council referred the following Notice of Motion to the Executive.

Councillor D Roberts

“The council undertakes programmes of work to deliver benefits to the borough and controls are put in place to ensure the work is delivered on time, on budget and to scope. Whilst delivering to scope should result in the delivery of benefits, it may not always be the case. Complex projects spanning many years can require interim decisions to balance budgets, timescales, and scope because of issues arising throughout the life of the project. 

This council is committed to both best practice and transparent project reporting including benefits tracking from the point at which it is considered for approval by members through to the conclusion and delivery of the project.

This council will therefore investigate how it will implement benefits management on all major projects as part of existing standard project controls such as risk and issues management.”

Councillor Roberts spoke in support of the Motion and drew attention to a suggested amendment to the wording of his Motion which recognised the Council’s current benefits management practices and which proposed improvement to the practice to ensure that any changes to benefits were reported back to Members.  The Executive was invited to recommend the revised wording to the Council.  The revised wording of the Motion reads as follows:

“The council undertakes programmes of work to deliver benefits to the borough and controls are put in place to ensure the work is delivered on time, on budget and to scope. Whilst delivering to scope should result in the delivery of benefits, it may not always be the case. Complex projects spanning many years can require interim decisions to balance budgets, timescales, and scope because of issues arising throughout the life of the project. 

This council is committed to both best practice and transparent project reporting including benefits tracking from the point at which it is considered for approval by members through to the conclusion and delivery of the project.

This council will therefore investigate how it will improve its current benefits management practices to ensure that changes to benefits are tracked during the execution phase and reported to any council meeting in which project decisions are being made or project updates are being received by members.  Also to report back, to full council, an analysis of any differences to the benefits captured at the time the project was approved against benefits realised at project closure.”

The Executive welcomed the Motion and noted the importance of benefits management.  It was recognised that some projects were particularly complex, spanned many years, and had changed in scope since first agreed.  Therefore the Executive was supportive of the need to track changes to project benefits.  The Executive agreed to recommend the revised Motion to Council.

RECOMMENDED to Council

That the Motion be supported.