TDC CABINET - 17th MARCH 2011 - IT SYSTEMS

EIGHT YEARS OF NEGLECT COSTS THANET RATEPAYERS DEARLY

Thanet District Council is using outdated computer systems that will now cost ratepayers over £59,000 to replace. That cost is nearly twice as much as Dover District Council will have to find and almost four times the cost that Canterbury City Council will need to find in order to standardise computer systems across all three districts.

At Thursday evenings TDC Cabinet meeting Labour Leader of the Opposition Cllr Clive Hart told the Conservative cabinet members assembled "you've been in charge for eight years and TDC has an I.T. system that is eight years old. You've done nothing to maintain or improve the I.T. system and now it's completely outdated".

A leading council officer then informed Cabinet members that the system had indeed become outdated and that consequently "Thanet has further to go to improve compared to our neighbouring authorities".

Following the meeting Cllr Hart added "the I.T. system is indicative of the wider situation the council faces. Eight years of Tory control, eight years of neglect".

Annex 1 to the written report being discussed at Thursdays TDC Cabinet meeting explained:

MICROSOFT EXCHANGE - COST BREAKDOWN

Total Costs for Investment

Canterbury Total - £16045
Dover Total - £35665
Thanet Total - £59378

(Variance of investment is due to individual authority status).