Agenda item

•        Quarterly Performance Report

•        Integrated Assurance and Approval Plan

•        Portfolio Risk Register

•        Covid-19 Impact Assessment

•        Accounting Officer Review Action Plan

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.