PROJECT MANAGEMENT PLAN - Eurobodalla Shire · PROJECT MANAGEMENT PLAN Rural Lands Strategy Strategic Services E12.6191 Date: March 2013 Version Number: 3.0 . Page | 2 Project Data

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PROJECT MANAGEMENT PLAN

Rural Lands Strategy

Strategic Services

E12.6191

Date: March 2013

Version Number: 3.0

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Project Data

Title: Rural Lands Strategy Project Director: Director, Planning and Sustainability Services

Project Manager: Divisional Manager, Strategic Services

Department / Unit: Strategic Services Objective(s): 1. To identify and examine the strategic and legislative

context, key trends and the social, economic and environmental issues affecting rural lands in the Eurobodalla Shire.

2. To plan and enhance the rural economy through the application of a suite of appropriate land use planning policies which address the relevant issues.

3. To work with the community in the development of the Strategy in order to gain broad acceptance of its findings and recommendations.

Output(s): 1. A Rural Lands Strategy that provides a strategic framework

to guide the zoning, land use, protection and development of:

agricultural and resource lands;

rural lifestyle living opportunities;

landscape and environmental values. 2. Mapping to support the Strategy. 3. Directions for the preparation of appropriate planning

instruments, including LEPs and DCPs and the application of appropriate zoning to deliver upon the findings and recommendations of the Strategy.

Outcomes: 1. Facilitate the ongoing rural use of agricultural and

resource lands. 2. Provide for appropriate economic and development

opportunities. 3. Identify and manage landscape and environmental

qualities, sites of Aboriginal, natural and cultural heritage, land use conflicts and environmental hazards.

Background / Reason: Council is under increasing pressure to identify and promote

appropriate land-uses in our rural areas. Developing a Rural Lands Strategy will avoid speculation and uncertainty in the community, and minimise conflicts that arise between rural and residential activities and environmental values. In order

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to preserve the distinctive character, values and economic capacity of Eurobodalla’s rural areas for future communities, careful management of these areas is essential.

Scope: The Strategy will cover all rural land in the Eurobodalla. Related Projects: The Strategy will inform a future review of relevant planning

instruments, including LEPs and DCPs, and a review of the Eurobodalla Settlement Strategy.

Assumptions: 1. Availability of required data and other inputs. 2. Capacity to deliver mapping requirements. Critical Success Factors: 1. Engagement with relevant stakeholders and the broader

community. 2. Stakeholder and community ‘buy in’ of the Strategy

findings and recommendations.

Project Milestones

Measures to indicate success: 1. A comprehensive Strategy supported by key

stakeholders and the broader community. 2. A Strategy that contains relevant findings and

deliverable recommendations. 3. An action plan to deliver the Strategy

recommendations. Estimated Project Timeframe: To be completed (adopted) by September 2014. Key Milestones: 1. Background Research 2. Establish a Steering Committee 3. Develop Terms of Reference for Rural Lands Strategy 4. Develop Community Engagement Strategy 5. Develop Rural Lands Issues Paper 6. Develop Social Analysis of Eurobodalla Report 7. Develop Rural Opportunities and Constraints Study 8. Develop Policy Directions Paper 9. Develop Rural Lands Strategy See the flow chart on the following page and Appendix 1 for a Detailed Project Timeline.

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Project Flow Chart

Background Research

Steering Committee

Terms of Reference for Strategy

Rural Lands Issues Paper

- based on existing data

Community Engagement Strategy

Social Analysis Report

- in depth analysis of social issues

Rural Opportunties and Constraints Study

- in depth analysis of economic and environmental issues, with associated

mapping

Policy Directions Paper

Rural Lands Strategy

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Project Resources

Human Resources Department / Units Strategic Services

GIS Services External HR Specialist Consultant input Other Resources: Councillor, land owner, industry and community

representatives.

Governance and Legislation

Governance Arrangement

Project Director Director, Planning and Sustainability Services

Project Manager Divisional Manager, Strategic Services

Project Team

Council Staff Mark Hitchenson Paula Pollock Matt Rawson Lee Wade Nardi Arnold

Consultants:

Research, Analysis, Policy and Strategy Development Environmental Analysis and Mapping Research, Analysis, Policy and Strategy Support Mapping Administration Support

Community Engagement Consultants Agro-Economic and Environmental Consultants Facilitator for community engagement

Steering Committee Independent chairperson, Mayor (or nominee), General Manager, Staff representatives, Agency representatives, Community representatives.

Reporting Requirements

The deadlines for key milestones are outlined in Appendix 1. The responsible officer will forward completed tasks to the project manager at least two weeks prior to the deadline outlined in the Appendix to allow sufficient time for internal discussion and review.

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Stakeholder Management and Engagement

This is a high profile Strategic Plan which is expected to attract interest from stakeholders and the general community. As such a specialist external consultant has been engaged to prepare a Community Engagement Strategy to outline the methods to be used to engage the community in the development of the Strategy.

For objectives, key stakeholders, target audiences, key messages and a communications action plan, see Community Engagement Strategy.

Risk Management

For an analysis of the potential risks and mitigation measures, see Appendix 2.

Endorsement

I endorse this project plan and have included the following appendices

Project milestones / timeline

Communications Plan

Risk Analysis …………………………………………………………… …………………………………………………………… Project Manager: Project Director:

Shannon Burt, Divisional Manager, Strategic

Services

Lindsay Usher, Director, Planning and

Sustainability Services

Date: ___ / ___ / ___ Date: ___ / ___ / ___

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Post Project Review Report

The Post Project Review Report must be completed at the end of the project and endorsed by the Project Director. I, Lindsay Usher (Project Director), endorse the end of project and the post project review

report (Appendix 3).

………………………………………………….. …………………………………………………… Project Manager: Project Director:

Date: ___ /___ /___ Date: ___ /___ /___

Shannon Burt, Divisional Manager, Strategic

Services

Lindsay Usher, Director, Planning and

Sustainability Services

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Appendix 1 Project Milestones / timeline

Task Date

1. Background Research January -April 2012

2. Establish a Steering Committee April - July 2012

Council briefing RLS 3/04/2012

Develop Terms of Reference for Committee 16/04/2012

Council to adopt Terms of Reference 24/04/2012

Council to select Independent Chairperson 22/05/2012

Seek expressions of interest 23/05/2012 - 13/7/2012

Chairperson to select community representatives 16/07/2012

Council to endorse Chairperson’s selection. 24/07/2012

3. Develop Terms of Reference for Rural Lands Strategy August - October 2012

Develop Terms of Reference 6-17/08/2012

Meet with Steering Committee 23/08/2012

Council to adopt Terms of Reference for Strategy 2/10/2012

4. Develop Community Engagement Strategy July 2012 - March 2013

Draft brief for consultant 17/07/2012

Review proposals 13-17/8/12


Engage consultant (draft to be completed by October) 24/08/2012 – 17/10/2012


Final Strategy to be completed by November 19/10/2012 – 05/11/2012

Deadline for Council report 16/11/2012

Report to Council 27/11/2012

Note: Council adopted Strategy on 27/11/12 however a rescission motion was lodged. At 18 December Council meeting, the rescission motion was carried and Council resolved to refer the strategy back to Steering Committee for further review.


Finalise Strategy 08/03/2013


Council to adopt Strategy 26/03/2013

5. Develop Rural Lands Issues Paper Sept 2012 – July 2013

Draft Report Structure 10/09/2012 – 03/10/2012

Report structure to Steering Committee 18/10/2012

Draft Rural Lands Issues Paper 18/10/2012- 1/11/2012


Amend Rural Lands Issues Paper 15/11/2012 – 30/11/2012



Council to endorse exhibition 23/04/2013

Draft Report to be exhibited 01/05/2013 – 12/06/2013

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Produce ‘Your Thoughts’ summary paper 13/06/2013 – 21/06/2013

Update Rural Lands Issues Paper 24/06/2013 – 05/07/2013



Council to adopt Report 23/07/2013

6. Develop Social Analysis of Rural Eurobodalla Report Feb 2013 – May 2013

Draft Social Analysis Report 04/02/2013 – 05/04/2013


Finalise Report 07/05/2013 – 24/05/2013

7. Develop Rural Opportunities and Constraints Study Nov 2012 – Sept 2013

Draft brief for consultant 05/11/2012 – 09/11/2012


Issue brief 23/11/2012

Review proposals 24/01/2013 – 07/02/2013

Council to endorse appointment 23/04/2013

Engage consultant 26/04/2013


Draft Issues Paper 27/05/2013

Review of Issues Paper 28/05/2013 – 31/05/2013

Review Social Analysis Report 28/05/2013 – 31/05/2013


Final Issues Paper 14/06/2013

Draft Mapping 17/06/2013 – 28/06/2013

Review of community feedback to Our Rural Outlook Paper 24/06/2013 – 05/07/2013

Review of Mapping 01/07/2013 – 12/07/2013


Draft Rural Opportunities and Constraints Study 12/08/2013

Review of Draft Study 13/08/2013 – 30/08/2013


Draft Final Study 20/08/2013 - 26/08/2013

Review of Draft Final Study 27/08/2013 – 06/09/2013

Submission of Final Study 20/09/2013

8. Develop Policy Directions Paper Sept 2013 – Jun 2014

Develop Policy Options 02/09/2013 – 27/09/2013


Develop Draft Policy Directions Paper and any relevant mapping 08/10/2013 - 25/10/2013


Finalise Draft Policy Position Paper 12/11/2013 – 29/11/2013


Council Workshop 10/12/2013

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Deadline for Council Report 24/01/2014


Draft Policy Directions Paper to be exhibited 12/02/2014 – 25/03/2014

Review feedback on Draft Policy Directions Paper 01/04/2014 - 18/04/2014


Amend Draft Policy Directions Paper 05/05/2014 - 23/05/2014


Council to adopt Policy Directions Paper 24/06/2014

9. Develop Rural Lands Strategy Jul – Dec 2014

Prepare Draft Strategy 01/07/2014 -01/08/2014


Council Workshop 12/08/2014



Draft Strategy to be exhibited 29/08/2014 – 09/10/2014


Amend Draft Strategy 21/10/2014 - 11/11/2014



Council to adopt Rural Lands Strategy 16/12/2014

Appendix 2 – Project Risk Assessment

Likelihood Consequences

Insignificant Minor Moderate Major Catastrophic

Almost Certain H H E E E

Likely M H H E E

Moderate L M H E E

Unlikely L L M H E

Rare L L M H H

L = Low M = Moderate H = High E = Extreme.

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ITEM Expand risk items as needed by your project

RISK RISK MITIGATION MEASURES/COMMENTS

L M H E

Political

Change of Council during project.

Council elections recently held. No new general election due until 2015

Failure to achieve consensus on final Strategy

Regular briefings to and feedback from Councillors in development of Strategy

Community groups lobby against the Strategy

Inform and involve relevant groups in development of Strategy

Social

Conflicting values within the community

Ensure the community’s needs are understood to achieve balanced outcomes which are justified in a transparent decision making process.

Community expectations are not met

Ensure there is genuine community engagement throughout process

Different community groups over/under represented

Consult with all community groups and stakeholders

Key stakeholders not participating in process.

Provide a variety of opportunities for stakeholders to participate. Ensure engagement activities facilitate participation (eg. by undertaking engagement in rural communities)

Economic

Strategy results in negative impact on the Eurobodalla economy.

Ensure economic issues are addressed in studies undertaken to support the Strategy

Cost and fees for project are excessive.

Ensure value for money is achieved in all consultant studies and other costs

External Consultants deliver products below expectations.

Ensure the consultants are assessed against robust performance criteria and are effectively managed.

Environment

Strategy results in negative impact on the Eurobodalla’s environment

Ensure environmental issues are addressed in studies undertaken to support the Strategy

Legal

Non-compliance with statutory requirements (such as WHS, Code of Conduct, State Policy and Strategy)

Consideration of WHS issues during community consultation and fieldwork. Ensure all staff and members of Council committees are aware of and comply with Council’s Code of Conduct. Ensure State Agency involvement throughout Strategy development.

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Achievements

A] Outcomes and outputs achieved:

What outcomes and outputs have been achieved?

B] Outcomes and outputs not achieved:

What outcomes and outputs have not been achieved?

C] Incorrect assumptions and common factors affecting outcomes and outputs realisation:

Give an explanation here of anything that impacted on the realisation, or otherwise, of outcomes and outputs. Were there issues that arose during the project that were not anticipated and planned for and therefore affected the result? Were assumptions made during the planning stages that in reality proved to be incorrect?

Communication

A] Components of the Community Engagement Strategy achieved:

What components of the Community Engagement Strategy have been achieved?

B] Components of the Community Engagement Strategy not achieved:

What components of the Community Engagement Strategy were not achieved?

C] Incorrect assumptions and factors affecting the Community Engagement Stratgy:

Give an explanation here of anything that impacted on the realisation, or otherwise, of Community Engagement Strategy. Were there issues that arose during the project that were not anticipated and planned for and therefore affected the communication with stakeholders? Were assumptions made during the planning stages that in reality proved to be incorrect?

Appendix 3 – Post Project Review

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Timing

A] Tasks taking less than estimated time:

What tasks were finished earlier than originally planned?

B] Tasks exceeding time estimates:

What tasks took longer than originally planned?

C] Incorrect assumptions and common factors affecting time estimates:

What were the reasons behind inaccurate time estimates? Were there issues that arose during the project that were not anticipated and planned for – e.g. delays in receiving supplies, staff resource, etc. Were assumptions made during the planning stages that in reality proved to be incorrect – e.g. in estimating how long an activity was likely to take.

Costs

A] Costs lower than estimates:

What project costs came in lower than anticipated?

B] Cost components exceeding estimates:

What project cost component exceeded the original estimates?

C] Incorrect assumptions and common factors affecting cost estimates:

Why were project costs different to originally estimated? Factors impacting on this could include things like changes in exchange rates if supplies coming from abroad, increases or decreases in fuel costs – with knock-on transportation and supply costs. You may have experienced economies of scale that were not apparent from the outset, etc.

Quality

A] Outputs that met or exceeded targets:

Quality outputs are important as is meeting or, hopefully, exceeding targets – list here the areas where this has happened during the project.

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B] Outputs that did not meet targets:

List here those outputs that were not of appropriate quality or were unfit for purpose.

C] Incorrect assumptions and common factors affecting quality:

What issues affected quality? Were your original targets appropriate? What assumptions did you make that turned out to be incorrect during the lifespan of the project? Examples might include assumptions being made incorrectly on the compatibility of new software with systems already in place in the organisation.

Lessons Learned

A] Give details of any unexpected outcomes of the project (positive or negative):

List the unexpected outcomes and include details on whether they’ve had a good or bad impact on the project and, perhaps, beyond the planned project results.

B] Give details of any lessons learned as a result of the project:

What have you learned as a result of embarking on this project? You may have learned that there are some things that you did that you would not do again if you were to work on another project. You may have learned new ways of approaching activities within a project that you would replicate in other projects. Any lessons learned are valuable – whether they are based on good or bad experiences they are very useful for future reference and other projects.

Recommendations

A] Give details of any recommendations for action in relation to this project:

What would you like to happen as a result of this project – what recommendations would you make as a result of undertaking this project? Can you suggest new ways of approaching activities within the organisation as a result of the outcomes of the project?

B] Give details of any recommendations for action in relation to future projects:

You may, as a result of experience on this project, have a number of recommendations to be taken forward in future projects. These recommendations may, for example, relate to the whole project approach, or the way in which project teams are established and trained. The recommendations can be made as a result of both positive and negative experiences within the project journey but, again, whatever the experience the recommendations for future projects are likely to be valuable.

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PROJECT MANAGEMENT PLAN - Eurobodalla Shire · PROJECT MANAGEMENT PLAN Rural Lands Strategy Strategic Services E12.6191 Date: March 2013 Version Number: 3.0 . Page | 2 Project Data