Looking ahead to Project Initiation
As Towns develop business cases for their projects, they will need to start thinking about how to deliver these and set up for success to initiate the projects.
To help you think about this, during this recorded webinar we looked at:
The basic project lifecyle
What help and standards are available
Setting up for success:
Governance
Project management
Sponsorship
Commercials and
Deliverability
What a plan for this might contain
About the speaker:
Alistair is a leading professional in project and programme management and brings 35 years of experience in programme management and controls. He is an expert in assurance, intelligent clienting, and capability development and is keen to help you ensure your projects have the right environment to deliver, and the right mechanisms in place to realise their benefits.
Stakeholder Engagement to support Business Cases
This guide provides information to help support you when developing your Business Cases. It outlines the process in more detail, the key role of engagement and include examples of what a strong Business Case should look like.
This guide provides information to help support you when developing your Business Cases. It outlines the process in more detail, the key role of engagement and includes examples of what a strong Business Case should look like.
The guidance is summarised by the image below, showing the Eight Simple Steps to building stakeholder engagement into the development of your Stage 2 Business Case.
Implications of the new Green Book for the Towns Fund
This guide provides a review of the 2020 Green Book and how it may impact the Towns Fund programme.
On 25th November 2020, HM Treasury published The Green Book 2020, an update to the 2018 Government guidance on how to appraise policies, programmes and projects, underpinning business cases for public investment.
This guide provides a review of the Green Book, and how it may impact the Towns Fund, and complements the recently published blog.
TIP Part 2: Your questions answered
Following the workshops held by TFDP on TIP Part 2, we have collated the key questions asked by Towns during these sessions and provided answers.
On 6 and 11 January 2021, TFDP held two workshops on TIP Part 2. We have collated the key questions asked by Towns during these sessions and provided answers, to aid Towns in the completion of their Town Investment Plans.
Our previous guide on the Top Recommendations for TIP Part 2 can also provide further guidance.
If you require further support in completing your TIP, we can also offer a one-to-one session with any of our experts. In order to request an hour with an expert, please complete the Expert Drop-in Hour request form found on the TFDP website, or discuss with your Town Coordinator.
Introduction to Planning, EIA and HRA
This note provides Towns with a brief introduction to the planning, EIA and HRA requirements that may be relevant to your TIP projects.
Your Town Investment Plan Heads of Terms refer to securing required planning permissions and undertaking Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and/or Habitat Regulations Assessment (HRA) – what next?
This note provides Towns with a brief introduction to the planning, EIA and HRA requirements that may be relevant to your TIP projects. It provides a high-level guide for Towns of the steps they should go through to ensure that planning, EIA and HRA requirements are understood and are appropriately reflected in the individual business cases including the project programme.
10 Recommendations for TIP Part 2
This note sets out some pointers for completing Part 2 TIPs which will help towns to ensure that they are using them to make as strong a case as possible for each proposed investment.
There are two parts to every TIP, and the Part 2 spreadsheet templates form a very important part of the submission to MHCLG. This is where towns are required to provide details of each proposed project, set out the funding sources and expected outputs/outcomes, and provide some of the key evidence around the work undertaken to date.
This note sets out some pointers for completing Part 2 TIPs which will help towns to ensure that they are using them to make as strong a case as possible for each proposed investment.
National Strategic Brief: Climate Change
The purpose of this document is to support towns in the preparation of their TIP to ensure that there is a consideration of climate change.
The purpose of this document is to support towns in the preparation of their TIP to ensure that there is a consideration of climate change – both its potential impacts and the actions that can be taken to reduce local emissions.
In light of the UK government’s 2050 ‘Net Zero’ commitment in 2019, there are significant regulatory and policy changes in the pipeline which are anticipated to be announced in the coming year.
Towns should develop their TIPs taking due regard of these commitments as they will likely impact upon all areas of local development such as building regulation, local infrastructure requirements e.g. electric vehicle charging and resident behaviour.
Towns should explore each of the documents included in the briefing note, considering how they will impact their TIP vision as well as how they can support the delivery of the UK-wide ambition to be net zero by 2050.
Social value in Construction – the role of procurement
In this blog, Clare Chamberlain, Category Lead – Construction, discusses the importance of social value in your construction projects and gives top tips to how to ensure it’s not missed off the list.
In this blog, Clare Chamberlain, Category Lead – Construction, discusses the importance of social value in your construction projects and gives top tips to how to ensure it’s not missed off the list.
Evidence in your TIP: Health & Wellbeing
This document sets out some key evidence towns can call upon to support links between the built environment and health and wellbeing.
This document sets out some key evidence towns can call upon to support links between the built environment and health and wellbeing. The aim is to provide a brief overview and introduction for different environmental factors that influence health to help towns evidence the health benefits of their projects or support the overall approach in their vision and strategy.
This document should be read alongside the blog Boost your TIP: Health & Wellbeing.
Engagement Evidence
A community and stakeholder engagement plan is a key requirement to building a strong Business Case and it is critical in demonstrating how you manage stakeholders during project delivery.
A community and stakeholder engagement plan is key to building a strong Business Case and it is critical in demonstrating how you manage stakeholders during project delivery.
It needs to show how you have engaged with people and how you will continue to engage as you work up business cases, and project delivery.
But you only have limited space, so what evidence should you include? This guide gives you some tips on what to include, and how to present it.
Five Points for Growth in a Single Sector/Employer Economy
Having a major anchor employer or sectors has its challenges and opportunities. In this short guide, we set out some key considerations and strategies for towns in this position.
Shocks to the economy bring the spotlight on economic resilience - from the effect of Covid-19 or the financial crisis - shocks remind us of the risks of places that rely on a single sector or employer. Resilience in the economy might mean having access to a variety of sectors, businesses, and employers that are performing well in their own right or ensuring that the dominant sector’s supply chain can diversify and pivot. Towns up and down the country face this challenge, either through one major infrastructure employer (such as a port or energy facility) or those which have felt the effects of decline in certain manufacturing sectors.
Having a major anchor employer or sectors has its challenges and opportunities. In this short guide, we set out some key considerations and strategies for towns in this position.
An Introduction to Business Cases
NB: The webinar, and accompanying slides were produced prior to the publication of the Towns Fund Business Case guidance.
Description:
As Cohort 1 Towns received their Heads of Terms and moved into Stage 2 of the Towns Fund programme, this webinar was hosted to provide an introduction to the Business Case process in the context of Towns Fund.
It included:
an overview of the HM Green Book 5-case model and
provided some overarching advice on how to approach the five cases, including a checklist for key content for each case
emerging Towns Funds specific business case guidance
About the speaker:
Adriana Moreno Pelayo is an experienced Economist at Arup with nine years of experience, having developed a wide variety of business cases across different sectors, particularly in the transport sector. She coordinates the transport business case network at Arup and sits in the committee of the Transport Economists Group. Adriana contributed to Arup’s paper on how to reform the Green Book and has presented at different events on the topic.
Joe Gregory has over eight years of experience delivering infrastructure engagements across a portfolio of clients, including local and central government and private sector clients, predominantly within the real estate sector. He has advised multiple councils on their Future High Street Fund business cases.
Inclusive Growth Guidance
This short guide introduces the topic of Inclusive Growth, explaining what it is and how it can be applied to Town Investment Plans.
‘Inclusive growth is economic growth that is distributed fairly across society and creates opportunities for all’
This short guide introduces the topic of Inclusive Growth, explaining what it is and how it can be applied to Town Investment Plans. It provides practical advice and case studies on how to account for Inclusive Growth within the Towns Fund context.
Feedback from TIP Assessment
For those Towns planning to submit their Town Investment Plans in the coming months, we are keen to share some guidance now available following the first round of TIP reviews for Cohort 1 Towns. In addition to the work undertaken by the TFDP (please see the events page for recordings of our Lessons Learnt webinars), MHCLG have provided pointers after reviewing and assessing the first set of TIPs.
We have collated and categorised this feedback into six key areas, as listed below.
Strategic vision
Your Town’s Strategic Vision, or ‘Golden Thread’ is key to demonstrating the rationale for the projects you are proposing and should be woven through your TIP to interlink all the sections and projects.
The narrative that tells your Town’s story and how your Town Board has engaged with stakeholders (both business and community) to develop your Town’s vision and strategy is also important.
The TIP should evidence your Town’s needs, using regional and national data, as well as identify opportunities. Provide evidence of how these needs will be addressed and opportunities will be capitalised.
Set out how your Town has considered the impacts of covid-19 and how plans have been adapted to accommodate and address these impacts.
Aligning with the intervention framework
Your Town’s projects should be clearly aligned with the intervention framework as highlighted in Annex A of the further guidance.
Be confident that the projects you are proposing can be delivered within the timeframe as set out in the further guidance.
MHCLG may not consider standalone masterplans and/or feasibility studies if they are not aligned with the intervention framework. Where these are proposed, your TIP should demonstrate a direct link to capital projects that fit within the intervention framework.
Engagement
MHCLG recognises that the restrictions imposed in relation to covid-19 have made engagement more challenging, but some Towns have taken innovative approaches to reach out beyond just those stakeholders who might typically respond to a formal consultation.
Explain how your Town has engaged as well as the impact this engagement has had on your proposals – both in developing the overall vision and strategy for your Town and the mix of projects proposed.
Include an ongoing engagement plan in your TIP, showing how you will build on your initial engagement work to galvanise interest in, and collective responsibility for, your plans.
Specifically in relation to community engagement, demonstrate your Town’s efforts to reach all community groups, including those unable/less likely to use the internet.
Specifically in relation to business engagement, show how a cross section of businesses have been engaged – both directly and through representative organisations.
Project and programme delivery costs
Include any programme delivery or revenue costs in your proposed capital projects, recognising that the Towns Fund is a predominantly capital fund.
Revenue-costed projects may not align with the intervention framework and will be the exception.
When completing the project template, outline outputs and outcomes and clearly identify appropriate costs, taking into consideration one of MHCLG’s assessment criteria is cost.
Exceptional proposals: applying for over £25m
To enable MHCLG to consider allocating funding above £25m for your Town, your TIP will need to score highly across the seven TIP criteria and demonstrate wider local, regional and national impact.
MHCLG will apply additional scrutiny to these TIPs, including potentially inviting your Town to a Challenge Session with senior civil servants in MHCLG.
How do you submit?
We understand that some questions remain regarding TIP submission. Look out for another blog that will be released later this week, detailing how to submit your TIP when the time comes.
Please check back for regularly updates on our website, with the latest advice on best practice, services and support available. Sign up to our weekly newsletter, About Towns, to receive an ‘at a glance’ view of what’s available.
Top 10 Fire Design and Specification Concerns
This guide provides an overview of the top 10 fire safety issues to consider and address during the design and specification stages of building projects.
This guidance will provide an opportunity for Towns to learn from the top 10 issues experienced by our fire experts during design and specification stages of building projects. We hope these slides enable discussion, help you avoid such issues in investments proposed as part of the Towns Fund work, and encourage safe and resilient development in your town.
Mitigating the impacts of COVID-19
This short learning burst, presented by Katie Wood our Health & Wellbeing expert, provides key information on how to mitigate the impacts of COVID-19
This short learning burst, presented by Katie Wood our Health & Wellbeing expert, provides key information on how to mitigate the impacts of COVID-19. In the video, Katie discusses the impacts that are being felt across the country, and highlights priority areas for towns in mitigating these impacts. Katie provides real world context by using case study examples.
The slides are also available to download, below the video.
Lessons Learnt from Cohort 2
Description:
In this recorded webinar, a panel of experts discusses key findings and outcomes from their work reviewing the Town Investment Plans submitted by the Cohort 2 towns.
The session covered key lessons learnt, and provided tips and recommendations for towns preparing their TIPs.
About the Speakers:
Our panel were all involved in reviewing Cohort 2 TIPs, and have extensive experience in their respective areas.
Margaret Kalaugher is highly skilled at bringing key people together to promote collaboration and secure informed and considered decisions on transport and regeneration schemes. Her effectiveness is built on strong client programme management, strategic and analytical thinking, problem solving, negotiating and influencing skills.
Ross Hayman leads on stakeholder engagement in the north of England for the Towns Fund Delivery Partner. He brings many years’ experience of stakeholder engagement, community relations and public consultation on major infrastructure projects and urban redevelopment, with particular expertise in the energy sector.
Shrikant Singhania is a Town Coordinator in the North region and has been offering support on the funding and financing sections as well as advice around project delivery. With a background in Public Services Real Estates & Assets Advisory, Shrikant has vast experience in advising local authorities on viable operational delivery structures and funding scenarios available for the project.
Rebecca Collings is a Town Coordinator in the South & West region. She brings a wealth of experience from her past roles in the Civil Service in drafting documents for Government purposes, as well as in setting up and delivering complex projects.
Engaging Younger Audiences
This practical guide offers advice for Towns on how to engage younger audiences when drafting TIPs, developing business cases or delivering projects.
Every young person is unique with different needs and circumstances. Youth participation in projects is essential - now more than ever, young people are central to the economic recovery and stimulation of towns.
This short guidance note details the benefits of engaging younger people, and provides a variety of methods to undertake this engagement.
Connectivity Investment & Digital Use Cases
This resource provides an overview for towns in regard to connectivity investment options and the digital use cases that can be enabled through connectivity infrastructure.
This resource provides an overview for towns in regard to connectivity investment options and the digital use cases that can be enabled through connectivity infrastructure.
Digital use cases have been linked to the Digital Blueprint to provide towns with a sense of the ‘art of the possible’. This resource can be used by Towns to inform town projects and investment plans.
Engaging with Businesses
This guidance note provides nine practical ideas for Towns on how they can engage better with businesses, whether drafting TIPs, developing business cases or delivering projects and beyond.
From sole traders to multinationals, businesses are the lifeblood of a community. While some may have a long history in your town, others may be relative newcomers to the area. They can be contributors to the Towns Fund, or beneficiaries, as it seeks to galvanise local economies. Businesses should be at the heart of shaping and delivering Town Investment Plans (TIPs).
This guidance note provides nine practical ideas for Towns on how they can engage better with businesses, whether drafting TIPs, developing business cases or delivering projects and beyond.