2.25 There is a wide range of generic issues that may need to be considered as part of any assessment. The following list should be checked for relevance to options under appraisal, and used for later evaluations:
❑ Strategic impact - new proposals can be said to have strategic impacts on organisations if they significantly affect the whole or major part of an organisation over the medium to long term. Proposals should therefore be considered in terms of their potential scale of impact, and how they fit in with the strategy of the organisation(s) they affect.
❑ Economic rationale - proposals need to be underpinned by sound economic analysis, which should be provided by a cost benefit analysis in an option appraisal. See Chapter 5 in particular.
❑ Financial arrangements and affordability - proposals need to be affordable, and an affordable financial plan needs to be developed. See Chapter 6.
❑ Achievability - all proposals should be assessed for their achievability, and recognised programme and project management arrangements set up as necessary. See Chapter 6.
❑ Commercial and partnering arrangements - proposals need to take account of commercial, partnering and procurement arrangements; what can be delivered in the market; how costs and benefits can be guaranteed through commercial arrangements; how contracts will be managed through to completion. See Chapter 6.
❑ Regulatory impact - as discussed previously, the impacts of new proposals on businesses, voluntary sector and charities should be assessed. See Chapter 2.
❑ Legislation - consideration should be given to legislation specific to the case in hand, as well as statutes that affect many proposals, such as the Human Rights Act, or the Data Protection and Freedom of Information Acts.
❑ Information management and control - The information requirements of proposals, including the data needed for later evaluation, and the supporting IT that may be required. Further guidance is available from the OGC.10
❑ Environmental impacts - The effects on the environment should be considered, including air and water quality, land use, noise pollution, and waste production, recycling and disposal. Further guidance is available from ODPM, Defra and DfT.
❑ Rural issues - The government is committed to ensuring that all its policies take account of specific rural circumstances. Appraisers should assess whether proposals are likely to have a different impact in rural areas from elsewhere. Further guidance is available from Defra.11
❑ Equality - Impacts on various groups in society should be considered as part of an appraisal. Chapter 5 describes how distributional impacts should be brought into the appraisal process.
❑ Health - the impacts of proposals on health should be considered, and evaluation made of the impact on health of poverty, deprivation and unemployment, as well as poor housing or workplace conditions. The Department of Health can provide further advice12, or can be accessed via the policy hub.13
❑ Health and safety - the health and safety of people at work or arising from work activity may need to be safeguarded. Obviously this is of particular concern in construction. The Health and Safety Commission can provide further advice.14
❑ Consumer focus - Assessments may need to involve consideration of the cost and quality of goods and services, as well as access to, choice of, and information about them.15
❑ Regional perspectives - CMPS provides guidance on how regional perspectives are best incorporated into the policy making process.16
❑ European Union - It will often be important to take account of proposals and activities in other European Union countries, as well as specific legislation and regulations. State aid rules are particularly important to consider, as these prescribe the extent to which government can intervene.17
❑ Design quality - The design quality of facilities can be important in ensuring that objectives are successfully achieved.18
_____________________________________________________________________________
10 See http://www.ogc.gov.uk
11 See http://www.defra.gov.uk
12 See http://www.doh.gov.uk
13 See http://www.policyhub.gov.uk
14 See http://www.hse.gov.uk
15 See http://www.policyhub.gov.uk
16 See http://www.policyhub.gov.uk
17 See http://www.dti.gov.uk
18 See http://www.cabe.org.uk