Positive progress reported on the Council’s ambitious Transformation Programme
Members of this morning’s Recovery, Improvement & Transformation Board received a comprehensive update on the progress of the Council’s ambitious Transformation Programme, which comprises 9 projects and its associated 21 workstreams.
These key projects have been identified to help deliver cashable benefits of £9.18m in 21/22 and £18.65m for the entirety of the Programme, for an overall cost of £3.686m.
As reported to the Board during a meeting which took place earlier this year (24 May 2021), an essential step in getting each project underway has been resourcing and assembling project staff and teams as quickly as possible. Members were pleased to note today that the recruitment process is now nearing completion for the 39 posts approved to support this programme. Work to recruit to the remaining unfilled posts is scheduled to conclude in early October.
Members were also updated on the additional work being undertaken by the Programme Management Office (PMO). One particular highlight being the development of a Transformation Hub providing project management, assurance and real-time information for the whole programme, its projects and workstreams accessible in web-based format across mobile and fixed devices.
In addition, the PMO Team has been investigating the full range of functions available within the Council’s existing ICT provision to positively support the delivery of the Transformation Projects. This solution utilises existing ICT and provides Project Teams with a collaborative space to engage with one another, share and discuss project documentation and research. Furthermore, it also serves as an effective way for the PMO to engage with all the Project Teams using a specifically created area within the wider software to directly communicate with the PMO and each other.
Councillor Alasdair Christie, Chair of the Recovery, Improvement and Transformation Board and Depute Leader of the Council, said: “I am pleased to report that Members received a very comprehensive report and update from officers during this morning’s meeting – the detail provided is reflective of this size and ambitious nature of the Transformation programme.
“I am heartened to see the innovative practice being demonstrated by the wider Programme Management Office. In particular the creative use of existing ICT to introduce a new of way of working suited to Highland Council’s business needs (moving away from email, for example) which much better lends itself to working in the fast-paced Project environment, reducing email, and ensures consistent communication with all Project Team members across the whole programme.
He concluded: “This innovative practice is now being followed by projects out with the Council Improvement & Transformation programme and is a good example of sharing good practice and learning.”
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