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MPA/SRO Assurance Lacking on St Helena Airport Project

A recent review of the St Helena Airport Project’s assurance arrangements has highlighted concerns over the lack of independent and functional assurances, as well as limited internal and external audit coverage.

Concerns Over Lack of Assurances

According to a report by [insert name], the project’s management team failed to provide sufficient evidence for many of the functional and independent assurances, despite being on the Major Projects Authority (MPA) list. The review found that the project’s documentation has not been made available, which could potentially lead to additional work being completed to gather this information.

Limited Audit Coverage

The report also noted that there is a lack of targeted audit coverage, with only limited internal and external audit activity currently taking place. This raises concerns over the project’s ability to mitigate potential risks and identify areas for improvement.

Strong Governance Structure

However, the review did praise the project’s governance structure, which is based on the PRINCE2 framework. The report noted that the Airport Project Programme Board (APPB) receives comprehensive information from various sources, including checkpoint reports, issue and risk registers, and Ernst & Young commercial advice. This information spans functional, technical, financial, and operational assurance, giving confidence in the board’s ability to steer the project towards success.

Recommendations

The report made several recommendations, including:

  • DFID should be more accommodating to audit information requirements
  • Additional work should be completed to gather MPA documentation
  • Targeted audit coverage should be implemented to address specific risks or emergent issues

Key Findings:

  • The project is on the MPA list, but lacks sufficient evidence for many functional and independent assurances.
  • There is limited internal and external audit coverage, with no targeted audit activity taking place.
  • The project’s documentation has not been made available, which could potentially lead to additional work being completed.
  • The Airport Project Programme Board receives comprehensive information from various sources, including checkpoint reports, issue and risk registers, and Ernst & Young commercial advice.

Overall, while the project’s governance structure is sound, there are concerns over the lack of assurance and audit coverage. The review highlights the importance of having a robust assurance framework in place to ensure the successful delivery of large projects like the St Helena Airport Project.