Multimillion-pound upgrade of vital systems approved

Councillors have approved a multimillion-pound upgrade of important IT infrastructure as part of efforts to make our systems more efficient and reliable for staff and residents.

Cabinet agreed recommendations for an initial £2.75 million investment in modern HR, payroll and finance systems when it met yesterday (Thursday 14 November). 

Councillors also approved plans to fund the agreed upgrades via a long-term loan. 

Better for residents and businesses

Once in place, the improvements will include better and easier systems for residents and businesses and help ensure prompt payment of our suppliers, care providers and foster carers, as well as receipt of council tax and other payments. 

They will also improve the online procurement and tendering processes for businesses wanting to work us.

Existing systems in need of a refresh

Councillors were convinced by the need to modernise existing systems, which, while regularly updated, have been in place for a long time and require a significant refresh. 

A previous review into these system in 2022 concluded the council should act and recommended a highly integrated system known as an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system, widely used within local government and likely to cost more than £10million to install.

However, after a further review, councillors were advised to follow a different approach, not least because of rapid advances in lower cost AI and integration technologies since the original recommendations were made. 

Lower cost to the taxpayer

As a result, councillors instead agreed an initial £2.75million investment to develop, design and install a range of alternative new processes, applications and technologies.

These will come at a lower overall cost to the taxpayer than an ERP system, help us better maintain and interpret data and automate a range of processes. It will also allow for further adaptations and improvements as emerging new technologies become tried and tested elsewhere. 

Major step forward

Councillor Tristram Burden, Cabinet member for Adult Social Care, Public Health and Service Transformation, said: “Upgrading our systems will be a major step forward for how we manage many transactions with our residents and businesses. 

“Technology is continually advancing and as part of our commitment to becoming a modern, efficient and well-run council, we must also make sure our technology infrastructure allows our central teams to provide efficient and responsive services to residents, businesses and staff.

“These changes have been partly inspired by feedback from residents and the frustrations they have with our existing systems.

“We want to be an efficient and responsive council, and these changes will not only help us to achieve this but also allow us to take advantage of emerging technologies in the near future.”