Appendix 10

TRANSFORMING TOMORROW

Programme Definition Documents

ContentsPg

Sustainable Communities2

  • Physical Regeneration15
  • Community Regeneration25
  • Strategic Housing31
  • Strategic Planning36

Working Better41

Value For Money51

Customer First61

Sustainable Communities

Programme Definition Document

Table of Contents

Programme Definition

1.Outcomes and benefits

2.Corporate/strategic fit

3.Board members/roles

4.Vision statement

5.Benefits – value

6.Benefits tracking and delivery

7.Initial project portfolio

8.Programme ‘blueprint’ – wiring diagram/critical path

9.Delivery approach

10.Major milestones

11.Stakeholder matrix and communications plan

12.Quality standards

13.Risks and contingencies (likelihood/impact)

14.Programme budget

Sub-Programme Definition

  1. Outcomes
  2. Strategic Fit with Sustainable Communities Programme
  3. Benefits and Value of Sub-programme
  4. How benefits will be tracked
  5. Project Portfolio
  • Project Managers
  • Project Outline
  1. Delivery approach
  2. Major milestones and project interdependencies
  3. Risks and risk management
  4. Sub-programme budget

Background

National, regional and sub-regional policy is moving towards the creation of sustainable communities in the context of an increasing focus on city regions as functional economic areas of prosperity. Blyth Valley Borough Council is almost half-way through its medium-term Corporate Plan for 2004/2008, working effectively towards ‘Transforming Tomorrow’ which identifies a number of priorities linked to the regeneration of the area and improved quality of life for its communities. To this end, and the wider objectives of the council it was agreed that a Programme and Project Management Office (PPMO) would be set up to enable improved structure, governance and delivery of four major programmes of work, including the ‘Sustainable Communities’ Programme.

Required outcomes and desired benefits

By the end of financial year 2008, Blyth Valley Borough Council seeks through this programme –

  • To have effective structures and processes in place at Blyth, Cramlington and Seaton Valley enabling full public involvement in the borough’s future, with agreed priorities and a working local strategic partnership pursuing shared vision and goals
  • To have the public, voluntary and business sectors in the borough all aligned and working effectively together to achieve sustainable communities
  • To be effective at gathering and sharing intelligence to pinpoint local needs, expectations and problems so that they can be addressed
  • To have advanced development of sustainable communities through regenerating Blyth, confirming Cramlington as an important growth point for the sub-region, and enhanced amenities and services for the five villages, with Seaton Delaval acting as the main service centre
  • Clear and substantive outcomes from the programme will set the ‘starting point’ for further developments and priorities within the new corporate plan for 2008 / 2012
  • To be seen across Blyth Valley’s communities as having delivered worthwhile outcomes and led change effectively.

Corporate fit

The Sustainable Communities Programme is a major element in the pursuit of Blyth Valley Borough Council’s Corporate Plan 2004 / 2008

Organisation

Programme Sponsor Garry Owens

Programme ManagerBill Tarbit

Programme Board Members and roles

The Programme’s Sponsor and Manager will form the Programme Board and may co-opt temporary or permanent members as needed. The Programme Manager is likely to become Project Sponsor for most of the projects in the programme’s portfolio.

Vision Statement

The programme seeks to bring the benefits of a prosperous, vibrant and attractive borough and sub-region to local people within a transformed borough. It will be a place of involvement, opportunity and prosperity for all, including those sections of the community who are disadvantaged or discriminated against so that all parts of the community:-

  • Are active, inclusive and safe
  • Are well governed locally
  • Are environmentally aware
  • Live in well designed and well built communities
  • Are well connected to other communities
  • Enjoy the benefits of a thriving economy
  • Behave fairly to others

Benefits

* T = Tangible, i = Intangible, P = Prerequisite for some other programme or project

Benefit / Type T/i/P / Value
(Increased Revenues or Avoided Costs) / When desired?
1Blyth Valley Borough Council seen and valued as community leader, with enhanced influence beyond the borough boundaries for the benefit of its communities and an enhanced reputation internally and externally / T / Perception of council improved amongst local tax payers / 2007
2Blyth Valley Borough Council will be seen as an employer of choice in the area / T / Perception of council improved amongst present and potential employees / 2007
3Increased volunteering and capacity of voluntary and community sectors / T / Voluntary sector’ value to the borough estimated to be worth £22m in 2006, so measurable increase sought / 2010
4Business growth in the borough with more start-ups of diverse, high-growth, knowledge-based, higher-end businesses / T / Growth in local employment and business rates. Improved GVA / 2010
5Blyth Valley Borough Council staff will have clear priorities in their work to promote sustainable communities and a better quality of life / T / Capacity aligned to delivering priorities in a cost effective way / 2007
6The pace of change and improvement will accelerate through better relationships and partnerships / i / Strong and effective relationship with partners will ‘add capacity and value’ / 2007-2010
7Neighbourhoods across the borough will be improved and the disadvantage gap will be narrower, resulting in an improving ‘feel good’ factor and quality of life for those who live / work in the borough / T / Level of satisfaction wit neighbourhood, town and borough / 2007
8The image of the area will continue to improve / i / Private sector confidence and investment will increase business and resident satisfaction will increase / 2007-2010
9More affordable and low energy housing has been planned or developed in the borough alongside market housing / T / Social and economic inclusion of communities in environmentally sensitive ways / 2007-2010
10Both natural and built cultural assets will be protected, enhanced and made more accessible / T / ‘Value’ of the built and natural environment will be maximised / 2007-2010
11The physical transformation of Blyth and Cramlington will be well under way and apparent / T / Over £1billion of private and public investment / 2008
12Improvements to services and amenities in the Seaton Valley villages with Seaton Delaval as the ‘service centre’ will be apparent / T / Over £1m of public sector resource / 2007-2010
13Measurable improvement to the social, economic and environmental performance of the area. / T / Socio-economic and environmental profile and quality of life indicators moving in a positive direction. / 2007-2010
Dis-benefit (What? Who?) / Type T/i/P / Value
(Decreased Revenues or Added Costs etc) / When may happen?
‘Sustainable Communities’ is based on a ‘win – win’ philosophy, however there may be underlying political implications / i / Voting patterns may change as a result of social and economic change / 5-10 years
National, regional and local media will have less ‘negative press’ opportunities relating to the Blyth Valley area / i / ‘Good news’ if often less news worthy and profitable. Blyth Valley may therefore slip from the ‘line of sight’ of government and public agencies for investment / 2-3 years

Benefits Management Plan

Benefit / Tracking / Measurement
Local governance and partnership arrangements will be ‘fit for purpose’ to plan and design change in an inclusive way – regular assessment of local governance and partnerships.
Memorandum of understanding/compact between council and voluntary and community sector
Reputation as a ‘pace setting’ organisation delivering results and developing its people through effective, innovative leadership and career development opportunities
Regeneration and economic development manager recruited to drive physical/economic regeneration
Service planning linked to ‘sustainable communities’ priorities and measures through corporate planning process and performance management processes
Enhanced working of BVLSP within the Northumberland Local Area Agreement and countywide sustainable community strategy and NSP frameworks
Area profile – socio-economic and environmental performance plus quality of life measures baselines and comparators established
External promotion and marketing strategy; linked with SENNTRi and Blyth brand and Cramlington brands.
Sustainable high quality and affordable housing within mixed tenure communities – housing strategy; 3 year delivery plan
Cultural strategy and action plan delivered
Cramlington town centre and Blyth developments incorporated in LDF and town development plans with major projects agreed and being delivered
Current projects delivered in Seaton Valley area and pipeline projects agreed
Programme Blueprint

The programme will-

  1. Encourage and promote added value from public services, the voluntary and business sectors year on year
  1. Support the development of an effective local strategic partnership and community assemblies making these a priority so that community participation in the pursuit of SC Programme aims is available from the earliest point
  1. Initiate work on the social and economic inclusion strategy early in the programme, to improve inclusion throughout the life of the programme, particularly by supporting and encouraging the excluded to contribute to this venture
  1. Council staff will be trained and in the right places at the right times to support the drive towards sustainable communities and overall excellence. (Note that this will be part of the ‘Working Better’ Programme but needs to be coordinated with ‘Sustainable Communities.’
  1. Maximise the future development of affordable housing by planning early in the SC Programme, so that some development might be able to start during its lifetime
  1. Initiate early expansion locations for new business start-ups and move on accommodation
  1. Data / intelligence capture, analysis and sharing must commence early in the programme to pinpoint ‘hot-spots’ for action and to enable the council, local strategic partnership, community assemblies and partners to plan solutions and services together
  1. The early finalisation of LDF core strategy and follow on subsidiary documents will provide the rationale and framework for physical regeneration across the borough, effective sub programme management will drive the process of change.

Delivery approach

‘Regeneration’ consists of many projects, some relatively large and complex, and will be delivered as a set of sub-programmes within the overarching Sustainable Communities Programme, so that finite regeneration resources and budgets can be managed together.

The Programme is therefore to be split into four sub programmes. They are:
  • Physical Regeneration
  • Community Regeneration
  • Strategic Housing
  • Strategic Planning

This allows the projects with a more specific common theme to be allocated into the relevant sub Programme.

Stakeholder Matrix and Communications Plan

Stakeholder / Interested in / Communication needs
Politicians / elected representatives / Outputs, outcomes, results, resources, benefits / Blyth and Cramlington Town Working Groups established and Community Assemblies available for full engagement
Blyth Valley residents and the wider public including potential visitors / Quality of life, image, inclusion, employment and access to services / Public involvement and communities strategy in place April/May 2007
Executives, managers and staff / Processes, roles, progress / SC programme staff forum
Public sector partners / ‘Added value’ to achieving corporate objectives / Business forum established 2007
Suppliers / Business opportunities
Auditors / Use of public resources / Project Management and funding documentation
Funding providers / VFM / Project Management and funding documentation
Trades Unions / Engagement and growth of Public Sector employees / Included in SC programme staff forum and through joint consultative forum plus labour agreements with private sector
Regulators / Rules followed / System compliance
Project and Programme teams / Interdependencies, outputs, outcomes, process improvements / Integrated performance management system
NDPBs / QUANGOs / Government Departments / Other public bodies / Joined-up delivery and exemplar practice fro wider learning / Contribution to regional and national learning exchanges
Neighbouring Councils / Joint actions, learning opportunities, economies or scale / Joint cabinet with WDC and Northumberland ADC’s
Media / Things going well / badly / Corporate communications strategy and crisis management plans
Voluntary sector / Involvement, funding and development opportunities / Blyth Valley Community Network

Programme Quality Strategy

Fitness for purpose –

  • Construction and regeneration projects must follow and be seen to follow industry best-practice including quality of design (CABE) provision of carbon-neutral new development and the rules of the HSE
  • Enhancing natural and built cultural assets must follow rules set out by Agencies and NDPBs on such matters, including for example Natural England, English Heritage
  • Research and Intelligence must conform with all provisions of Data Protection Act
  • All programme work should take account of the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act
  • Programme work should adhere to the guidelines available from the Programme and Project Management Office
  • Project work should adhere to relevant parts of MicroP2
  • Programmes and projects with partners should agree on their management practices before Initiation
  • Programme procurement should adhere to Public Sector and, where relevant, OJEC stipulations

Programme Risk and Issues Strategy

Risks and Issues will be considered by the Project Manager and Programme Manager. Any member of the project team can highlight potential risks or issues to the project. Each risk will be considered in terms of impact and probability, together with risk/action responses to each. The risk/issue should be categorised in terms of ‘type’ of risk/issue. For example, technical, managerial, operational, etc.

Project Risks and Issues will be handled at a project level and those risks or issues that are ranked as red and escalating, should be bought to the attention of the Programme Manager and Sponsor immediately for discussion and consideration. If necessary, the matter may need the direction of CMT if the future of the programme looks to be threatened. CMT will advise and make decisions on this ad hoc basis. Exception reports and plans may need to be formulated as a result. This would be handled by the project manager.

Programme Risks

The three highest profile red risks on the risk log are:

  • Blyth Valley Borough Council and / or its partners cannot resource this programme ambitions adequately which would result in delays or cancellation
  • The review of local government in Northumberland causes a major ‘slow down’ or redirection of priorities and investment away from the borough
  • National government policy or the White Paper on Local Government has moved the goalposts (e.g. unitary local government in Northumberland) before programme completion, which could result in programme failure or the disappearance of Blyth Valley Borough Council or both

They are included in the risk log below.

Risk Log

Red = ‘Critical’; Dark Amber = ‘Serious’, Light Amber ‘Moderate’. (Note that while ‘Green’ risks have no place here, two levels of ‘amber’ have been used.)

Risk and possible consequences / Likelihood
H/M/L / Impact on Programme if it happens
H/M/L / RAG?
  1. Blyth Valley Borough Council and / or its partners cannot resource this programme ambitions adequately which would result in delays or cancellation
/ M / H
  1. The review of local government in Northumberland causes a major ‘slow down’ or redirection of priorities and investment away from the borough”
/ M / H
  1. National government policy or the White Paper on Local Government has moved the goalposts (e.g. unitary local government in Northumberland) before programme completion, which could result in programme failure or the disappearance of Blyth Valley Borough Council or both
/ H / H
Risk and possible consequences / Likelihood
H/M/L / Impact on Programme if it happens
H/M/L / RAG?
  1. The forecast increase in interest rates may mean that the cost of capital becomes prohibitive or undesirable which would lead to curtailment of some of the programme’s aims particularly development on low value brownfield sites
/ M / M
  1. County / District unable to work together willingly towards Blyth Valley’s priorities, which would result in only partial solutions
/ M / H
  1. The council, or businesses or the public or the voluntary sector fail to commit to the vision and this programme to deliver it, which would mean that work might still proceed but that outcomes would be less effective
/ L / H
  1. Regional strategies fail to recognise needs of Blyth Valley which means that many outcomes are unreachable
/ L / H
  1. Breakdown of SENNTRI and lack of leadership could lead to loss of funding and significant elements of programme failure
/ L / H
  1. The level of external and private funding and investment that needs to be attracted (circa £1billion) may not be forthcoming which would curtail some of the programme’s aims
/ L / M
  1. Some of community’s expectations may not be met by the SC Programme
/ L / M
  1. The council cannot afford to put the professional capacity in place to deliver the programmes or projects.
/ L / M

These risks, once accepted should be transferred to a Programme Risk Log with agreed mitigation / prevention / reduction / avoidance measures and owners identified

Programme Issues

Red = ‘Major’; Amber = ‘Significant’. (Note that ‘Green’ Issues have no place here!)

Issue and its consequences / Impact
RAG? / Action needed / taken by whom to resolve? Outcome?
Various issues including the NSP, LAA and , political leadership of BVLSP SENNTRI and future of the community assemblies need to be resolved to ensure ‘fit for purpose’ local governance. / GO to seek resolution to issues with C EX and Leader of the council in conjunction with key partners.
Some Blyth Valley Borough Council staff may lack experience in managing complex programmes and procedures using structured methods, which means that different or conflicting methods and shortcuts might emerge / GO (AC) to ensure effective role out of PPM across the organisations as a short term priority

These issues, once accepted should be transferred to a Programme Issues Log with agreed corrective actions and owners identified

Programme Constraints

The programme is constrained by its own target date of 31 March 2009, in line with Corporate Plan 2004 / 2008, which leaves 24 months for the delivery of a large and complex series of projects, provided that authorisation is given for the SC Programme to start by 1st April 2007 and it does start then. Significant progress can be made and a clear ‘starting point’ defined for the 2009-2012 period.