Issue - meetings

This report provides details of the Epsom & Ewell Borough Council Information Technology Strategy for 2023 and beyond.  The IT Strategy defines the principles, governance, standards and methodology by which the council will source, procure, implement, maintain and deliver IT services both internally (to staff and partners) and externally (to residents). This report details also a high-level IT Roadmap for 2023-2024.

Delivery of the IT Technology & Services Roadmap workstreams and projects will provide Members/Officers with improved ways of working, that increases collaboration and reduces the requirement for physical servers located at Council premises.

The IT Strategy and IT Technology & Services Roadmap are still both in development and require further work to fully define and cost the work programme.

Following consideration, the Committee resolved with 8 votes for and 2 abstentions to:

(1)      Agree the draft IT Strategy and the associated plan to invest in a programme of works as set out in the draft IT Roadmap.  The works to include; a refresh of end user devices for councillors and officers, a programme of works to update infrastructure, and transformational projects to improve and increase online services to residents.

(2)      Approve the indicative funding implications for delivering the defined IT Roadmap in 2023-2024 as set out in table 1 of the report, these being; the carry forward of unspent 2022/23 capital funding of £215k and new capital funding for 2023/24 of £225k (which is inclusive of an additional £15k in order to complete the Member device refresh).

The Committee received a report providing details of the Epsom & Ewell Borough Council Information Technology Strategy for 2023 and beyond.  The report sought the Committee’s agreement to a revised and more detailed IT Strategy and IT Roadmap being submitted for approval later in 2023.

The following matters were considered:

·                     Blockchain ledger technology. Following a question from a member, the Head of IT informed the Committee that the adoption of blockchain ledger technology would be considered by officers.

·                     Councillor devices. The Committee was informed that councillors would be provided with the option of either a laptop or tablet device following the elections in May 2023.

·                     Website. In response to a question, the Head of IT informed the committee that resourcing the works contained within the IT strategy would be challenging. The Committee was informed of the staged approach which would be taken to update the public website, including an increased use of the My Council Services portal.

Following consideration, the Committee resolved with 8 votes for and 2 abstentions to:

(1)      Agree the draft IT Strategy and the associated plan to invest in a programme of works as set out in the draft IT Roadmap.  The works to include; a refresh of end user devices for councillors and officers, a programme of works to update infrastructure, and transformational projects to improve and increase online services to residents.

(2)      Approve the indicative funding implications for delivering the defined IT Roadmap in 2023-2024 as set out in table 1 of the report, these being; the carry forward of unspent 2022/23 capital funding of £215k and new capital funding for 2023/24 of £225k (which is inclusive of an additional £15k in order to complete the Member device refresh).