Issue - meetings

To receive an update and discussion from the Strategic Director of Children, Families and Adults.

Dominic Oakeshott, Head of Business Management and Challenge attended to provide the Committee with an ICT Strategy update. Dominic explained that an ICT strategy group had been established to develop the themes, programme and vision for the strategy. This Group was comprised of officers from the senior leadership team across the Children and Adults directorates and had been meeting since April 2012. Dominic explained that the Group had developed the following work streams:

·         Integration

·         Case Management

·         Financial Management

·         Information Management

·         Directories

·         Information gateway

·         Citizen Access

In the autumn of 2012 it was expected that the requirements from each work stream would be collated and that this would form a business case which would require Member approval in order to progress. Dominic noted that the actual procurement route had yet to be determined and therefore the Council could decide to move to tender for a number of systems rather than a single system. In terms of funding the resulting ICT system(s), Dominic reported that existing departmental capital funding would be utilised alongside 2012/13 capital funding which had been pooled together to form an overall implementation funding source. Dominic explained that the funding would be used to not only develop and implement the new system but to also maintain existing systems to comply with statute and ensure a smooth transition.

With regard to the current situation, Dominic explained that the ICT Strategy group were conducting a review of the 70+ current systems that were currently in operation. Each of these systems was being analysed against the following options (more than one outcome possible):

·         Agree to maintenance only

·         Development required

·         Decommission

·         Replace with new main system

For the 30 systems used in Children and Families, the group had identified:

·         3 agreed for decommission

·         12 would be replaced by the new system when implemented

·         9 could just be maintained

·         12 would need development.

In terms of maintaining existing systems, Dominic explained that the Council needed to balance retaining resources for the implementation of the new system with ensuring that statutory requirements were still being met by the existing systems. In conclusion, Dominic noted that in purchasing a new ICT system, the Council had an ideal opportunity to develop a new approach and system(s) for Children, Families and Adults working together.

A general comment was made about the track record (nationally) of purchasing information systems. It was noted that they were often fraught with difficulties and therefore it was hoped that the Council had cognisance of the associated risks.

It was queried what the Council wanted out of a new ICT system. Dominic reported that in terms of Adults and Children services, they would want a system that would aid in making accurate and correct payments to service users and providers. A new system would also help the Council to analyse information at a client, provider and familial level providing vital intelligence.

It was questioned whether the Council would be looking to tender a bespoke system or whether they would purchase an existing system. Dominic  ...  view the full minutes text for item 16