APM responds to Chancellor Rachel Reeves statement addressing shortfall in public finances.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves has announced the cancellation of several infrastructure and transport projects in the UK as part of a statement addressing the shortfall in public finances.

In response to the statement, Andrew Baldwin, Head of Policy and Public Affairs at the Association for Project Management (APM) said:

“Reports that major infrastructure and transport projects were approved with no access to funding is concerning; that project scopes have been unrealistic from the outset is even more alarming.  In effect, these projects were doomed to failure from their inception. This is not how you deliver successful projects.

"As highlighted in APM’s manifesto, ‘Respond, Reinvent, Reform’, the approach to how projects are delivered in the UK must be reformed through joining up thinking across government. Processes need to be streamlined with projects fully costed and the funds in place before signing off.   

"We know now that the new Government will need to cancel some projects. We are supportive of plans to conduct reviews, as it is important they are judged on the long term benefit they provide to society, and not just on short term costs, however un-funded they might be.

"And we must learn from past projects and utilise the findings from independent reviews, such as those from the National Audit Office (NAO), when assessing future project business cases to ensure they are realistic. 

"The Office for Value for Money (OVM) will scrutinise projects before they are funded, but as part of that we must insure we have the right people with the right skills working on projects in government, with qualifications in project management as a core requirement for each team. 

"With announced cuts to spending on outside consultants, it is now essential that the Government plugs the skills gap across departments.  To do that, we need to reform our approach.

“Project reforms are needed and must be designed to create the right conditions for project success, because when projects succeed, society benefits.”