To improve the investment regime, Oslo Economics and Atkins have in 2021 evaluated how Oslo Municipality’s instructions for the decision-making process in investment projects have worked in practice, and whether it fulfills the purpose.
Our evaluation shows that the regime is fulfilling its purpose, because it has provided better control over municipal investments, a better basis for decision-making for the city council and increased streamlining of the processes. However, there are some important challenges for the regime, especially in how the projects are initiated and in that alternatives are not sufficiently considered. In some projects, there are challenges in the implementation phase. There are points for improvement in the follow-up after the projects have been completed.
The purpose of the investment regime in Oslo Municipality is to ensure good and cost-effective decision-making processes, a sufficient decision basis and clarified requirements for the decision-making process and the decision basis, for the municipality’s investments.
In the period 2021–2024, investments in fixed assets are planned for around NOK 30 billion. This makes it particularly important that the municipality chooses the right investments, and that the municipality has control over the development of the projects’ cost estimates.
The client has been Oslo Municipality at the City Council Department of Finance. The evaluation report can be read here .
