Technical Implementation Group - Annex B

Terms of Reference and Work Plan

Composition

1. The Technical Implementation Group (TIG) comprises representatives from the Towns Fund Board organisations. The Group will be supported by specialist advisors and consultants.

2. The Chair will be Mark Flemming, UCLan. A nominee / substitute may be made if the Chair is not in attendance.

Administration of Meetings

3. Preston City Council (PCC), as accountable body for the Towns Fund, will provide administration services for the TIG.

4. The Chair and the accountable body will agree the Agenda and papers will be circulated 3 working days before the meetings - where possible.

5. PCC shall produce minutes of all meetings of the TIG which will circulated in draft 3 working days after the meeting and submitted with the Agenda for approval at the next TIG meeting.

Meeting Frequency

6. The Steering Group shall meet according to operational need at a convenient time during business hours on weekdays and at a convenient place.

Role and Work Plan

7. The TIG is a technical advisory working group established to support the Board. The TIG will support the Board over the following four phases:

a. Phase 1 Project assessment (March - May 2021)

b. Phase 2 Summary Plan (March 2021 - March 2022)

c. Phase 3 Programme Management (up to March 2026)

d. Phase 4 Monitoring and Evaluation (throughout)

8. The TIG shall be used to:

a.  Phase 1: make recommendations to the Board on business case readiness, project reprofiling to fit the funding envelope and finalising the local assurance framework. During this phase the TIG will meet three times (minimum). Representatives of the TIG will engage with project sponsors and leads. The output of this phase will be a recommendation to the Board re the submission to government in mid-May.

b.  Phase 2: Enable the submission of the Summary Plan by the Board and the accountable body to government no later than 24 March 22.

The Summary Plan will set out that business cases have been signed off locally and will set out an annual draw down profile. The TIG will support project leads in the preparation of the business cases and will oversee the independent appraisal of the business cases.

The TIG will support the accountable body in the preparation of any grant funding agreements. The TIG is expected to meet monthly during this phase. The output of this phase will be the recommendation to the Board re the submission of the (final) Summary Plan to government. (Business cases can be signed off in tranches - i.e. could be more than one Summary Plan.)

c.  Phase 3: The TIG will support the accountable body in the management of the programme. Tasks will include: agreeing format and frequency of project report; receiving and reviewing reports submitted by the project sponsors; preparing programme summary reports for the Board. Preparing and monitoring the risk register. Agreeing / making change control recommendations to the Board.

d.  Phase 4: Further guidance is awaited on evaluation and monitoring however in line with good practise it should be embedded at the business case stage and throughout the programme term. The TIG will need to oversee the preparation of the M&E framework and make recommendations to the Board.

Publication of papers

9. The Assurance Framework, Business Case Templates etc will all be published. It is not proposed that the agendas and minutes for this group be published as it is not a formal sub- committee of the Board- but Nolan Principles apply.