Decision Maker: Executive Member (Resources)
Decision status: Recommendations Approved
Is Key decision?: No
Is subject to call in?: Yes
Decision:
Recommendations approved.
Reasons for
recommendations
- To ensure compliance with the Council’s Contract Procedure
Rules, by reviewing and refreshing the
existing contract to ensure it is fit for purpose and protects the
council from above inflationary increases until the current review
of the finance system is completed and a tender exercise is
undertaken.
- Review and replacement of the system;
as the on-premise Civica
Financials system has been in place since 2003 at Chorley Council,
with the addition of South Ribble
Council in 2011, the Shared Services Finance Team is currently
reviewing the market to look at the options for replacement of the
system, considering the advancements in technology, system
functionality and the changes in operational and reporting
requirements of the respective councils over this period. Soft
market testing is being undertaken on various Cloud hosted provider
solutions, and also exploration of a public to public partnership,
working with another public sector organisation to access and
utilise an existing system, similar to the current arrangements we
have in place with Blackpool Council for payroll.
3.
Review,
procurement and implementation of any of the above options will
take up to 2 years to complete and so the new contract will provide
clarity around the requirements of both parties over this period of
time whilst this exercise is completed.
Other options
considered and rejected
- To continue with the existing contract – this option was
rejected in order to provide a clear focus for the longer-term
objectives of procuring the best Financial System across the 2
Councils. It should also be noted that the 2-year quote negotiated
offers discounts for consultancy days which will be used in
readiness for the migration of the financial data to any new
platform.
2.
To go out to
tender to procure a new financial system, and implementation
thereof – this would be a very significant and resource
intensive project; estimated timescales for this would be
approximately 12 to 24 months, and as such a project of this scale
cannot be undertaken in the timeframe available.
Publication date: 08/03/2023
Date of decision: 08/03/2023
Effective from: 16/03/2023
Accompanying Documents: