Issue - meetings

The Cabinet is requested to consider the agenda report and its two appendices with the recommendation that it notes the findings of the Post Project Evaluation and considers any comments and recommendations it might wish to make.

RESOLVED

That the findings of the Post Project Evaluation be noted.

The Cabinet received and considered the agenda report and its two appendices (copies attached to the official minutes).

The report was presented by Mrs Hardwick.

Mrs Belenger was in attendance for this item.

Mrs Hardwick commented that the report described the success of this major project which had been delivered on time, was under budget by some £52,500 and had resulted in significant ongoing direct revenue savings of over £150,000 pa in total. Those savings derived from (a) £55,000 per year cost savings for the system (para 5.4); (b) a further £75,000 of savings as a result of consequential staff cost reductions in the accountancy service (para 5.5); and (c) another £25,000 per annum from the discontinuation of the business objects reporting tool (para 5.5). This new financial system was not just a system upgrade but was in fact a catalyst for a major service review of accountancy and budget systems across CDC.  Budget managers were now in control of and accountable for their own financial data.  Wherever they were working, all staff could access real-time up-to-date financial data in relation to their service area, thereby raising efficiency and improving (i) transparency and accountability and (ii) workflow and business processes. If those less tangible benefits sharpened the focus of all management on the financial implications of actions and events in their areas, they would be no less valuable than the financial savings.

As to the commendation in para 7.1 of the enormous commitment made by staff into this project, Mrs Hardwick expressed her gratitude not only to Mrs Belenger and team for this excellent report but also to the wider implementation team (over the life of the project) who had put in so much extra time and effort and without whose dedication this multi-faceted project would not have been achievable, namely:

·        Mark Dolan (formerly Systems Accountant but now in ICT Support Analyst),

·        Carol Anderson-Towner (Exchequer Manager),

·        Katie Tucker (Technical and Systems Accountant),

·        David Cooper (Group Accountant),

·        Karen James (ICT Database Administrator),

·        Michelle Beach (Revenue Accountant),

·        Alan Storie (Capital Accountant),

·        Peter Sargent (Accountant - Asset Register Capital Project),

·        Phil Pickard (Procurement Officer)

·        Rod Walters (Assistant Procurement Officer)

Mrs Keegan referred to her extensive experience of such IT projects and remarked that this particular project was almost unique in being a fabulous achievement.

Mr Dignum likewise commended not only the project but particularly the people who had so successfully secured its delivery.

The Cabinet had no comments or recommendations which it wished to make.

Decision

The Cabinet voted unanimously on a show of hands in favour of the resolution below.  

RESOLVED

That the findings of the Post Project Evaluation be noted.