Agenda item

To consider the report on Project Management (attached).

Agenda Item 6 was brought forward by the Chair.

The Local Plan Project Manager provided a summary of the report. He drew the attention of Members to the principles that underpinned the management of successful projects and which were leading the approach to preparing a new local plan for Uttlesford. He outlined the arrangements in place for governance, risk management reporting and Project Plan monitoring. He referred to the latest revision of the Risk Register, the Local Plan Workplan Dashboard, Workstream status and the Local Plan live tasks shown as at 30 September 2020. He said that the Committee was requested to endorse the Risk and Project Management proposals with reports provided on a quarterly basis and more frequently when and if required.

The Chair asked Councillors Criscione and Coote, as lead Members to open the discussion.

CouncillorCriscione commended the work of the Local Plan Project Manager and asked a question about how the risk assessment process should be taken forward.

The Local Plan Project Manager said that it was for the Committee to identify areas requiring attention and officers should address these points.

CouncillorCoote referred to the RAG ratings and sought clarification as to how progress would be monitored. He said that he was quite happy to take this discussion “off-line”.  He also asked whether there were enough resources in place.

The Local Plan Project Manager said that the Council had bid successfully for external funding to resource the mini local plans for the strategic sites and that skilled staff had been employed. They had now been redeployed into the team led by the Local Plan and New Communities Manager. He also said that there was currently a bid in for additional funding in respect of Community Engagement.

CouncillorLeCount said that it was an excellent Project Plan.

Councillor Sell agreed with what had been said and asked about how the Council was taking forward the responses to the Government’s Planning White Paper.

The Local Plan Project Manager said that representations were being made through officers’ networks.

Councillor Evans said that a co-ordinated response was being drawn up and that portfolio holders across Essex were meeting in the third week of October.

The Leader said that he was keen to speak to Ministers and that the LGA Peer Review Team was also involved in preparing a way forward.

Councillor Sell requested that Councillor Evans fed back from his meeting with other portfolio holders through the Committee.

There was some discussion about the roles and responsibilities of the various Groups, Boards and Committees involved in the Local Plan process.

The Chair referred to the role of the Scrutiny Committee as being a “critical friend” and the Council as being an “intelligent client”.  He also asked the Local Plan Project Manager to outline his previous work experience, which he did.

The Chair said that he felt that the Council’s Local Plan project management was the root of a successful plan, making sure that things stayed on track and on time.

CouncillorLeCount proposed a motion that the Local Plan Project Management proposals be recommended to the Cabinet.

Councillor Driscoll seconded the motion. There was no dissent.

RESOLVED to approve the motion.