ETI-19 Response Accepted AI-assessed

Collaborative Delivery

Recommendation

At all stages of the project there should be a collaborative approach to delivering it, including co-location of representatives from each organisation relevant to the particular stage, enabling issues to be addressed and resolved at the earliest opportunity, minimising risk of dispute escalation with associated delays and expense.

Published Evidence Summary
The following publicly available evidence relates to this recommendation:
According to the Chief Executive's report to Transport and Environment Committee, the City of Edinburgh Council accepted this recommendation on 16 November 2023, noting that a collaborative approach, including co-location of representatives, was successfully adopted on the Trams to Newhaven project (Chief Executive's report to Transport and Environment Committee, 16 Nov 2023). According to the Council Leader, improvements were already implemented for the successful Trams to Newhaven project (Council news release, 2 Nov 2023), demonstrating the practical application of collaborative delivery.
How was this assessed?
Assessed by gemini-2.5-flash on 19 Mar 2026
Checked data held on this site (government responses, progress updates, independent evidence)
External sources searched: www.gov.uk, www.gov.scot, www.legislation.gov.uk, hansard.parliament.uk
This recommendation asks for cultural or behavioural change, which is difficult to verify objectively. The assessment is based on policy commitments, not measured outcomes.
Jurisdiction
Scotland
Response
Accepted
Under Consideration City of Edinburgh Council Initial Response
02 Nov 2023

Council Leader Cammy Day stated: 'We know that serious mistakes were made in the construction of the original tram line.' The Council broadly agrees with Lord Hardie's recommendations but notes improvements were already implemented for the successful Trams to Newhaven project. The Council has not published a formal detailed response to individual recommendations. Source: Council news release, 2 November 2023.

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Accepted City of Edinburgh Council Follow-up
16 Nov 2023

The Inquiry Report describes some of the damaging behaviours adopted during project delivery by various parties. The advantage of co-locating representatives having an interest in project completion is understood and indeed was successfully adopted on the Trams to Newhaven project. It is recommended that the Council should adopt this Recommendation. Source: Chief Executive's report to Transport and Environment Committee, 16 November 2023. Note: City of Edinburgh Council statuses are drawn from the Chief Executive's report to the Transport and Environment Committee (16 November 2023), referred to the full Council on 14 December 2023. This report appears to have been formally adopted but independent confirmation has not been obtained.

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Progress Timeline
Official Report
02 Nov 2023

Initial status based on Scottish Government and City of Edinburgh Council responses to the Edinburgh Tram Inquiry Report (September 2023).

Source
Source
Inquiry Edinburgh Tram Inquiry
Report Edinburgh Tram Inquiry Report 01 Aug 2023
View Source
Responsible Bodies
City of Edinburgh Council Primary
Themes & Tags
Public project assurance methodology Major Project Scope Uncertainty Ineffective Staff Deployment Major project lessons learned Collaboration Dispute Resolution Co-Location
Recommendation age 2.6 yrs
Last formal update 859 days ago