To receive a presentation from Officers.
Minutes:
The Committee received a presentation in three parts about the BCP Council Capital Programme and about the way in which Capital Project budgets are managed and monitored. Members were reminded that the Capital Investment Programme had been agreed by the BCP Shadow Authority in February 2019 and comprised of the approved programmes of the legacy Councils.
The budget process was set out for the Committee and the description of the evolving budget recognised the context of variations and adjustments in delivery timetables since the programme was agreed and reflected new schemes coming forward. Sources of income were explained including external funding such a Governmental Grants and BCP Council sources such as reserves, capital receipts and borrowing. Details of specific Housing Revenue Account programmes were set out and the implications of the ring-fencing of these funding sources was explained. New schemes identified in-year were submitted to and appraised by the Capital Transformation Board and the process for approval by reference to capital scheme values was also explained.
The second part of the presentation outlined the implications of the Local Transport Plan (‘LTP’) process and its contribution to setting out a long-term strategic 15-year focus aimed at delivering against prescribed National transport goals. Funding was awarded on an annual basis through Integrated Transport and through Maintenance funding blocks and although the current Plan was LTP3, LTP4 was reported to be in the course of preparation. Financial support received through Dorset Local Enterprise Partnership (DLEP’) funding was also included within the detailed budgets presented.
Examples of how management and monitoring tools are used to control progress and expenditure on a staged basis and to assess and reduce identified project risks on a project by project basis were presented to the Committee. There was also a regular schedule of meetings with Contractors and Members identified the need for effective post-completion assessment of schemes so that ‘lessons learnt’ could be taken forward.
There were questions about the type of monitoring employed and the nature of the software used. There was also discussion around the specific issue of traffic improvement schemes in the vicinity of Schools and the particular challenges caused in terms of traffic planning.
Members highlighted the importance of quality Member involvement in the monitoring processes and the role of the Audit and Governance Committee in ensuring that robust programme monitoring was in place was underlined. It was also noted that the newly re-established Transportation Advisory Group was expected to have an input going forward.
It was suggested that formation of the new BCP Council was an opportunity to review current systems in place for involving the Audit and Governance Committee and setting out the key part that it could play and where the Committee could add value to the process. Officers undertook to take a fresh look at the current monitoring system and to report back to the Committee if any elements were considered to be lacking or worthy of improvement.
In the third part of the presentation the Governance model in respect of construction based Building Capital Programme projects was described. Once again, there was identified a role for the Capital and Transformation Board to look at the processes in place and particularly the potential for harmonisation of the different project monitoring systems being used across the whole Council. The Committee noted that the Transformation Board did not have an elected Member involvement and this was identified as something which might be addressed. The importance of ensuring that appropriate Portfolio Holders were fully briefed on major projects and were in a position to have accountability for specific schemes was also underlined. It was agreed that a report on the governance arrangements within this particular aspect of project management should be brought to a future meeting of the Committee.