Report by Alwen Williams, Programme Director
Decision:
Approve the Staffing Structure for the
Programme Office, and delegate the authority to the Programme Director in
consultation with the Chief Executive of the Host Authority and the Statutory
Finance Officer to amend the structure as required within the funding envelope.
Approve the appointment dates for the
staff within the staffing structure, and appoint to the Programme Office prior
to the Final Deal, where those posts are affordable within the core budget and
the ESF budget (as listed in clause 4.2.5 of the report).
Subject to the matters set out in the
report, authorise the Programme Director to proceed with the creation of the
posts and undertake the appointments process in accordance with the Host
Authority’s Policies and Procedures.
Delegate the authority to the Programme
Director, in consultation with the Host Authority Chief Executive and the
Statutory Finance Officer, to accept a WEFO grant offer based on 50% of the
total project cost for the period July 2018 up until June 2023. Confirm that
the NWEAB accepts that it will contribute match funding at 50%, primarily by a
combination of capitalisation of project costs and core budget.
Minutes:
The report was submitted by Alwen Williams, Programme Director
DECISION
To approve the
Staffing Structure for the Programme Office, and delegate the authority to the
Programme Director in consultation with the Chief Executive of the Host
Authority and the Statutory Finance Officer to amend the structure as required
within the funding envelope.
To approve the
appointment dates for the staff within the staffing structure, and appoint to the
Programme Office prior to the Final Deal, where those posts are affordable
within the core budget and the ESF budget (as listed in clause 4.2.5 of the
report).
Subject to the
matters set out in the report, to authorise the Programme Director to proceed
with the creation of the posts and undertake the appointments process in
accordance with the Host Authority’s Policies and Procedures.
To delegate the
authority to the Programme Director, in consultation with the Host Authority
Chief Executive and the Statutory Finance Officer, to accept a WEFO grant offer
based on 50% of the total project cost for the period July 2018 up until June
2023. To confirm that the NWEAB accepts
that it will contribute match funding at 50%, primarily by a combination of
capitalisation of project costs and core budget.
REASONS FOR THE DECISION
The ESF grant would provide
funding to the region for the development and delivery of the Growth Vision,
through the establishment of a Programme Office. The Programme Office will start
with a core team of officers partly funded through the ESF grant.
In terms of the budget, it
was noted that it would be more cost-effective to appoint officers rather than
appoint consultants on freelance contracts. It was emphasised that no
appointments would be made until confirmation of the funding had been received.
DISCUSSION
The report was submitted,
noting that it was an update on the grant application. The posts which were
part of the application were noted, as well as the dates for appointing and
starting in post.
In terms of the budget, it
was noted that it would be more cost-effective to appoint officers rather than
appoint consultants on freelance contracts. It was emphasised that no
appointments would be made until confirmation of the funding has been received.
During the discussion the following matters were raised:
·
It was asked when
confirmation would be given of whether or not the funding would be received. It
was noted that the indications were that the application would be accepted and
Conwy Council was thanked for the work of preparing the application.
·
The difference between
programme manager and project manager was discussed. It was stressed that these
posts continued to be developed and adapted to ensure that there is no duplication,
specifically when looking at the role of officers within the Regional Skills
Partnership which is already operational in the region.
·
In terms of receiving
the funding, it was noted that once confirmation is received that funding is
available, an application for back-payment would be made and then the funding
would be claimed on a quarterly basis.
Supporting documents: