Agenda item

To provide an update to the Committee on the effectiveness of the Council’s project management.

Councillor Jeff Brooks, Leader of the Council, and Stacey Bradshaw, Project and Programme Manager, presented the item on Effectiveness of Project Management (Agenda Item 5).

Upon taking over in 2023, the Administration had identified the absence of a central project office to control projects. Historically, individual departments had managed projects using their own project managers, but there had been no central control or standardised methodology. The Council had since established a central Project Management Office (PMO) to provide oversight and consistency across all projects, using recognised methodologies such as PRINCE2.

Opportunities for improvement had been identified through scrutiny, audit, peer review, and the annual governance statement. The focus was on outcomes, particularly: improving delivery, benefit tracking and realisation, building capability and consistency, optimising the project portfolio, and strengthening governance and transparency.

Five key areas of focus were identified:

1.    Skills and capability (addressing inconsistency in project sponsorship and delivery quality);

2.    Fit-for-purpose methodology (adopting a dynamic approach);

3.    Document standardisation and repository (ensuring robust assurance and audit trail);

4.    Delivery playbook (embedding consistency and removing fragmented practice);

5.    Portfolio prioritisation and return on investment tracking (ensuring corporate oversight and ongoing tracking of project benefits).

A phased approach was being adopted, which involved:

·       stabilisation (baseline assessment, centralisation of resources, skills matrix, resource and pipeline management, and escalation routes for risks and issues);

·       enablement (making the right way the easy way);

·       assurance (improving and evolving processes and methodology).

The guiding principle throughout was to achieve lean, proportionate governance.

Ongoing assurance would be provided through mandatory reporting, routine health checks, a single source of truth (central repository and controlled templates), and benefits and return on investment tracking. Together, these provided clear line of sight, early warning of risk, and confidence in project governance and benefits realisation.

The following points were raised in the debate:

·       It was confirmed that the Project Management Service had a team of approximately thirty, including project officers, business analysts, senior project managers, the portfolio management team, and the Project and Programme Manager. There were a number of staff on fixed-term contracts.

·       Officers indicated that management of third party suppliers involved in delivering projects would be handled on a case-by-case basis, depending on the project scope. Where third-party resources were utilised, an internal project manager would be assigned to manage the contract through key performance indicators. It was confirmed that project managers were accustomed to matrix management.

·       Members welcomed the centralisation and professionalisation of project management and asked about career progression and talent retention. It was explained that officers recruited to these roles were typically qualified project managers rather than junior members of staff. Talent retention was achieved through support for qualifications, involvement in a wide variety of projects, and providing the ability to specialise or shadow others within the PMO. It was felt that the PMO was an exciting place to work, with a high profile within the Council. Also, the multidisciplinary nature of the work and social benefits delivered, were key selling points.

·       Recent recruitment campaigns had been very successful, with a high calibre of applicants and the Council seen as an attractive employer for project managers. The PMO included both experienced and newer staff. 

·       It was noted that there had been a culture shift, so departments were no longer delivering projects, but instead a project manager was assigned from the PMO.

RESOLVED to note the presentation.