• Quarterly Performance Report
• Integrated Assurance and Approval Plan
• Portfolio Risk Register
• Covid-19 Impact Assessment
• Accounting Officer Review Action Plan
Minutes:
Jonathan Burnes, PoMO
Director presented an overview and update of the projects. In brief, three
projects have been approved and are in delivery, three projects are awaiting
ministerial approval, one project has been regionally approved and is awaiting
to be submitted for ministerial approval and two projects are in development.
Members were provided with an
outline of all the projects within the City Deal and where investment is being
obtained. Members were advised that there was £241m from City Deal, however at
this time £4.3m remains unallocated. This is subject to change as the overall
business case requires.
Currently total investment is
estimated at £1.157billion. This is within 10% of the original investment
projected in 2017. GVA and jobs have increased on the current estimates from
the original projection.
Members queried when tangible
figures are likely to be reported, with regards to GVA and jobs created. It was
advised that reporting of actual output deliverables would be a key focus
moving forward, and the templates and mechanism to report them are currently
being drafted. It would be a key focus of the PoMO moving forward when
providing quarterly reports. Members will receive the figures at the next
quarterly report and they will also be fed into the business case.
Members stipulated that, in
addition to knowing the number of jobs created, members would also like to know
what type of jobs are being creased. Further, information would be required on contracts
undertaken i.e. are local companies being given the necessary opportunities to
partake in the developments.
Each of the nine projects
will all have their own business plan and affordability monitoring will be
maintained for each project.
Members were provided with
some information relating to governance and assurance reporting systems that
are currently in place. There is a process of monitoring and evaluation being
developed. This includes an Annual Report. There have also been various Gateway
Reviews whereby business cases are challenged by external teams. The PoMO Team
now has eight members of staff and is successfully working together to ensure
that arrangements are in place as appropriate.
The PoMO briefly went through
the IAAP and Risk Register. There are currently two red risks identified.
Details were provided with regards to how these risks are being mitigated. The
COVID-19 risk assessment remains relatively static since its last presentation
before the committee.
Members queried procurement
arrangements and expressed their concern that local business should be paid as
appropriate without any unnecessary delay. Further, that this should be
monitored. It was confirmed that this can be added to each project’s risk
register and the mitigation of the risk should be reported through this
process. This can then be monitored by the PoMO.
Members were provided with a
brief update of each project.
A concern was expressed about
the Homes as Power Stations Project. It was noted that the risk register
portrays all yellow risks, yet the business case has still not had any formal
approval. Members wished to receive concrete assurances that it can be
delivered. The PoMO confirmed that the business case for the project has been
through a Gateway Review and that the business case is currently sitting with
Welsh and UK Government for approval.
Members queried why Skills
& Talent had not been progressed as a priority, when it was previously
indicated it was important to create and develop skills across the region to
assist with fulfilling the requirements of the other projects. External
consultants had recently engaged with project leads to determine what skills
are required for each project. The PoMO confirmed that they are currently
putting resources into the project to accelerate it. The PoMO estimate that
during May 2021 the regional approval process will be able to begin on the
project.
Supporting documents: