Issue - meetings

Report of the Interim Director of Resources

Presented by the Corporate Portfolio Holder

The Corporate Portfolio Holder presented the report to Members. He informed Members that the new contract would not be awarded until April and therefore approval was required to extend the current contract by two months and that the migration to a modern, robust Data Centre and Wide Area Network, was intrinsic to the ICT Road Map and underpinned the Council’s long term vision of effectiveness, efficiency, security and sustainability. Disaster recovery, business continuity, resilience, high availability of ICT systems and resistance against cyberattacks were all the elements addressed by the contract. He advised Members that it had been originally estimated that the contract would be around £350k. However now that the procurement process had been completed the best price was £518k, adding that it was still the best price that was obtained. He highlighted that all authorities that he had contact with had secure provision off site.

Councillor T J Pendleton stated that it was right that the server should be held off site to build resilience.

It was moved by Councillor N J Rushton, seconded by Councillor T J Pendleton and

RESOLVED THAT:

1.    Authority to award the contract for the Data Centre and Wide Area Network Services for the period 1 April 2017 to 30 September 2020, be delegated to the Interim Director of Resources in consultation with the Corporate Portfolio Holder; and

2.    A contract extension of two months with the existing service provider be agreed and a waiver to the Council’s Contract Procedure rules pursuant to rule 3.2 of those rules due to the circumstances set out in paragraph 3.2 of the report to allow the extension to be awarded be granted.

Reason for decision: The level of expenditure on this contract exceeds the authority threshold in the Scheme of Delegation.

To implement modern ICT network and infrastructure, replacing legacy infrastructure and consolidating suppliers. Also the provision of disaster recovery, business continuity and backup services which reduce the overall ICT infrastructure costs to the Council. This is contained within the ICT Road Map 2016 – 2018