To seek approval of recommendations arising from an Options Appraisal of Herefordshire Connects to determine the future focus, purpose and outcomes for the Council’s development of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) systems required to achieve cost effective, service improvements for customers, in partnership with Herefordshire Primary Care Trust (PCT). 

The Cabinet Member ICT, Education and Achievement presented the report on Herefordshire Connects Option Appraisal and referred Cabinet to page 158 of the report, the summary of the recommendations.  He advised that the Herefordshire Connects Programme had been paused for a while but it was now time to take it forward on the recommendations for the choice of software.  Cabinet noted that at a recent meeting with the ICT department many Members did not fully understand what the Herefordshire Connects programme was trying to achieve.  It was proposed therefore, that a series of short messages outlining what the programme was about would be made available to Members shortly.

The Deputy Chief Executive informed Cabinet that a review of the business case had been undertaken by the Joint Management Team and Deloitte.  The priority now was to address the high number of systems at risk of failure.  Should the Herefordshire Connects Programme not be progressed Herefordshire Council could be put in a serious position.  He added that staff had looked at the rank system and what could be upgraded and looked carefully at the costs and which were the most expensive applications on the market place.  He stated that the most expensive system was the one for adult social care and that was already in place and working.  Cabinet was advised by the Head of Financial Services that in the budget for 2008/09 costs of £750k had been built in.

Cabinet referred to the savings of £5.5m that would be made and were asked if further technical staff would be required to see the system fully in place.  The Deputy Chief Executive advised that a significant number of the staff required were already in place, however there might be a requirement for an additional six members of staff with the preference to have the staff in house rather than consultants.  Cabinet was advised that the costings outlined were at worse case and the savings were at risk averse, however the problem was the risk regarding the old systems.  The Leader praised the staff in ICT as being extremely capable and paid tribute to them as they had been exposed to some loose comments in the past.

RESOLVED

            THAT:

(a)         Herefordshire Connects be re-focused on implementing the three updated business cases and further developing these business cases jointly with the PCT as Herefordshire Public Services partners, as defined in section 5.3 of the report attached;

(b)         Cabinet note the critical risks to service continuity of key ICT system failures.  This is due to the current large number of inadequately connected systems requiring upgrades that would not achieve the Council’s ambitions for improving customer services and satisfaction, provide poor value for money or that are no longer supported by providers due to their age;

(c)         the Council’s ICT system application portfolio be rationalised to achieve the minimum number of integrated applications by Joint Management Team and Deloitte conducting a two month evaluation of:

(i)     the four market proven system providers for an integrated back office system and associated integration tools to enable integration between Council systems and where jointly approved, Council and PCT systems, as stated in Section 6.4 of the report attached;

(ii)   the two market proven system providers for an integrated environment and planning system, as stated in Section 6.4 of the report attached;

(iii)market proven system providers for an integrated performance management system, as stated in Section 6.4 of the report attached;

                        (d)    a report on the recommendations arising from (c) above be produced for Cabinet in October 2008;

                        (e)    the Customer Relationship Management System Upgrade should proceed to secure the significant increase in system efficiency and customer service standards.  Deloitte advise this upgrade is already delivering these for other Council users of this system;

                        (f)     the current Finance System Upgrade should proceed; which will address imminent service continuity risks; and

                        (g)    the Joint Management Team implement Connects Programme Management arrangements based on Section 8 of the report attached to provide assurance to the Council, and where relevant PCT, of compliance with the applicable Procurement Policies and best practice in the Project Management risks, costs and the realisation of benefits for customers and staff.