Issue - meetings

Business World ERP System Re-design

Meeting: 17/12/2019 - Executive (Item 43)

43 Business World ERP System Re-design pdf icon PDF 223 KB

(To receive a report from the Executive Director – Commercial, which seeks approval for investment in order to re-design the Council's Business World ERP system, optimising its functionality in order to deliver the full benefits of which the system is capable)

Additional documents:

Decision:

(1)          That the Business World enterprise resource planning system be re?designed, in order to rectify the issues that the Council and schools are facing.

 

(2)          That the re-design be effected by moving to the existing Business World platform operated by Hoople Limited.

 

(3)          That approval be given to the Council becoming a member of Hoople Limited, by the acquisition of shares in the company.

 

(4)          That the Assistant Director - Corporate Transformation, Programmes and Performance be appointed as the Council's representative to exercise the Council's powers as member of the company.

 

(5)          That approval be given to the entering into a contract by the Council with Hoople Limited, for the implementation and ongoing provision of services for making available to the Council Hoople Limited's Business World platform and the hosting of the Council's data on that platform.

 

(6)          That the commissioning of specialist external consultancy services to support the Council to prepare the existing Business World system for migration to the Hoople platform be approved.

 

(7)          That the Executive Director – Commercial, in consultation with the Leader of the Council and the Executive Councillor for Highways, Transport and IT, be delegated authority to take all decisions necessary to ensure the entering into of the above arrangements, to include the final form and entering into of all contracts and other legal documentation with Hoople Limited and other third parties.

Minutes:

A report by the Executive Director – Commercial set out a proposal to the Executive to approve the re-design of the enterprise resource planning system, referred to as 'Business World'.  This would entail moving to the business world platform, operated by Hoople Limited.   To facilitate this, the report included proposals to acquire shares in Hoople Limited, which would thus become a 'teckal' company of the County Council, with contracts being awarded to Hoople Limited using exception provisions in the procurement rules. 

 

The estimated cost of the project would be £1.8 million, with an expected completion date of April 2021.  The report outlined several benefits of a system re-design, including avoiding the problems since the system's implementation in 2015, initially as 'Agresso', then subsequently as 'Business World'.   In addition, the system could be updated more easily and be flexible to future needs.  It would enable an integrated finance and people management platform, and provide improved management information.   

 

The Chairman of the Overview and Scrutiny Management Board referred to the Board's support for the recommendations to the Executive and the factual clarifications given to the Board, when it had considered the proposal on 28 November 2019.

 

The Chairman of the Board specifically highlighted the need for a change in culture and mind-set in how staff used the current system and the new platform should be designed to prevent staff from using 'workarounds'.

 

The following comments were made in response to questions by the Executive:

 

·         There would be regular performance monitoring via the Council's Corporate Leadership Team and the Overview and Scrutiny Management Board.

·         The proposed contract term would be for a period of seven years, plus one year, plus one year.  A withdrawal notice of 18 months would be incorporated into the contract, which would enable the County Council to serve notice, if required.  

·         The Hoople platform was already used to deliver services to Herefordshire Council, Rutland Council and other public bodies and so it already had an established configuration that could meet the needs of a Council.

·         Governance arrangements would be monitored to ensure that the agreement was being delivered.

·         It was advised that the future recurrent costs would show a saving of circa £200,000 per annum, including reduced costs from third party providers as Hoople would provide these services in future instead. 

·         Additional system development costs would only be incurred if Lincolnshire wished to implement a change in the standard build. 

·         It was confirmed that the Council's liability for any debts or liabilities of the company would be limited to the value of its shares in Hoople Limited.

 

RESOLVED

 

(1)          That the Business World enterprise resource planning system be re?designed, in order to rectify the issues that the Council and schools are facing.

 

(2)          That the re-design be effected by moving to the existing Business World platform operated by Hoople Limited.

 

(3)          That approval be given to the Council becoming a member of Hoople Limited, by the acquisition of shares in the company.

 

(4)          That  ...  view the full minutes text for item 43


 

 
 
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