Business Case Assessments
For when resources are scarce and tough decisions need to be made.
Does your project Business Case still stack up?
A decision about a project’s future cannot be made without first giving strong consideration to the reasons that you started the project in the first place. In theory projects should not start without a robustly scrutinised business case, in practice though that doesn’t always happen. Perhaps there wasn’t a clear business case to start with or the decision to proceed was made by Cabinet several years ago and the intended benefits have been eroded over time.
Where resources are scarce and Councils face conflicting priorities, a sound case for change is crucial and now is the time for you to make sure you only proceed with projects with a VALID business case!
As we attempt to recover from the pandemic, during a cost-of-living crisis, many councils are left dealing with significant financial shortfalls and conflicting priorities, which require them to make difficult decisions about whether to proceed with their planned projects and programmes. Time and cost already invested, resident expectations and commitments made to members, can make the decision to proceed with a project a real challenge.
Our Business Case Assessments will help determine the continued viability of your project and allow you to reach the right conclusion, in a short space of time. For a limited time they are available for only £8,500 +VAT. Contact us today to discuss your project.
Details of what a Council Project and Programme Business Case Assessment covers:
With Councils under extreme pressure, projects simply must deliver their intended benefits on time and budget. Our assessments help make sure that happens. Our assessments review the the key areas a valid business case requires in order for the project / programme to be successful. This is based on good practice standards (For example, the HM Treasury’s Business Case guidance, known as the Five Case Model) and our deep subject matter expertise and experience conducting over 250 project assurance reviews in Local Government, covering all Council service areas and type of project or programme.
Typical assessments cover the following distinct yet interconnected dimensions to enable Councils to ascertain whether potential projects:
are supported by a robust case for change – the Strategic Case;
optimise value for money – the Economic Case;
are commercially viable – the Commercial Case;
are financially affordable – the Financial Case; and
can be delivered successfully – the Management Case.
All of these dimensions are important; their weight however will likely vary depending upon your Councils current circumstances and the nature and complexity of specific projects. The output of our work will be a detailed report setting out the status and viability of your Projects Business Case, as well as detailed recommendations for any areas which require improvement should the project proceed.
We are Project Assurance / Audit Specialists
Our Assessments take approximately 10-15 days to complete (dependent upon your teams availability) and are conducted through a series of MS Teams interviews with key stakeholders and detailed review of project documentation. Unlike other’s we wont charge you for experts and send junior staff armed with generic question sets. Each of our assessments will be conducted by one of our genuine subject matter experts, who have years of experience in project assurance, project delivery and turning around failing projects. Learn more about us here.
Contact us to discuss your project. All services can be tailored to your requirements.
What Our Clients Say About Us
“Katie was diligent, inconspicuous in her approach and outstandingly accurate in her narratives. A highly credible professional.’’
— Director of Public Health
“Professional, sensible, pragmatic, realistic – all words which come to mind when I think of Katie. Her advice to my programmes has been invaluable.”
— Director of Transformation
“The project work Katie completed was very well received by services and enabled them to move forward with an extremely challenging programme.”
— Head of Internal Audit
Recent Programme Assurance Case Studies
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COVID-19 Response
Review of Local Outbreak Management Plan.
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Savings Programme
Validation of Council wide Savings Programme.
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Energy / Sustainability
Assurance and control design for troubled portfolio.
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Housing Mgt System
Embedded assurance over system implementation.
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Adults Transformation
Lessons leaned from troubled ASC transformation.
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Capital Programme
Assurance over Capital Programme delivery.
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Regeneration Benefits
Benefits realisation support for major regen scheme.
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Children's Services
Assurance over new IT system for Children’s services.
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ESF Assessments
Assessment of three European Social Fund projects.
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Regeneration Audit
Review of the Council side delivery for Regeneration.
Looking for a Project Health Check or detailed Project Audit? Learn more about our range of services here.
Our Business Case Assessments give you:
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Visibility & Clarity
A clear understanding of your projects current status and the barriers to successful delivery.
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Reduced Risk
Through an action plan to address the problem areas, containing delays and overspends.
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Greater Confidence
In your projects ability to achieve its objectives and realise the intended benefits.
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Enhanced Reputation
Safeguarding your personal and professional reputation and building trust in your organisation.