Minutes:
Anne-Marie Parkinson presented the programme update report.
It was noted that currently the programme is delivering in accordance with Lancashire’s Growth Deal agreed milestones and Government reporting requirements and that 99% of the funding has been allocated and 80% of the projects within the programme have completed their contracting in line with their original objectives.
It was reported that there are now 38 projects within Lancashire’s Growth Deal programme across four priorities rather than 39, as LAL is now within Brierfield Mill.
The Committee were updated on the 7 remaining schemes.
Concerns were raised regarding the information available to partners on the M55 to St Annes Link Road project and progress made. The project sponsor of this project would be requested to bring a report to the next meeting. Further information on the M6 J28 Improvements and Preston Western Distributor would also be brought to a future meeting.
On current project performance it was noted that since the reports had been produced the Engineering and Innovation Centre had delivered on budget, and that claims had now been received from Making Rooms.
Monitoring visits had been undertaken on five of the live projects listed in the papers since the last GDMB meeting and, to date, 77% of live projects within the programme have had at least one monitoring meeting. More site visits will be arranged.
It had been noted at the last GDMB meeting that a small number of projects were failing to provide claims on time and/or complete them accurately. A number of actions had been taken to resolve the issue and an improvement in the quality of claims now provided had been observed.
It was noted that the concern raised at the previous meeting regarding Nelson and Colne College had now been resolved.
The Board were informed that the Monitoring and Evaluation Sub-Group had been reviewed. The recommendation was to disband the existing group and replace it with a new sub group who would provide monitoring and technical support to projects to assist with contract completion. The Committee agreed.
It was highlighted that social value should be reported on every 6 months by the project sponsor. There was discussion around the difficulty in using the existing template to report social value on infrastructure projects. The Committee felt it was also unclear how long social value reporting was expected to continue after a construction project was complete, and whose responsibility this was. It was agreed that Anne-Marie would speak to Balfour Beatty to resolve these issues and report back to the Committee.
Resolved:
1) That the update information presented be noted
2) That Sue Procter arrange for the project sponsor for M55 to St Annes Link Road to present an update report at the June Committee meeting
3) That further information on the M6 J28 Improvements and Preston Western Distributor be brought to a future meeting.
4) That the recommendation to replace the Monitoring and Evaluation sub group with a new sub group who would provide monitoring and technical support to projects to assist with contract completion was approved
5) That Anne-Marie Parkinson speak to Balfour Beatty regarding Social Value reporting infrastructure projects