EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Project governance is viewed as playing a vital role in the successful delivery of public sector projects.

For the purposes of this document, project governance is defined as those aspects of governance related to ensuring the effectiveness of projects. In essence, project governance is about helping to ensure that the right projects are done well. As shown diagrammatically in Figure I, project governance sits between the Authority's corporate (or organisational) governance and specific project management regimes. More information on organisational governance in the public sector can be found in the document "The Good Governance Standard for Public Services" produced by The Independent Commission for Good Governance in Public Services published in 2004.

The aim of this guidance is to help public sector bodies put in place and maintain the structures and forums that are needed for effective project governance at all stages in the project lifecycle.

The main activities of project governance relate to:

•  programme direction;

• project ownership and sponsorship;

• ensuring the effectiveness of project management functions; and

• reporting and disclosure (including consulting with stakeholders).