© South Wales Evening Post - 15 April 2006
The final cost of Swansea Council's controversial e-Government project is still not known, it has emerged. The council has confirmed that it is still negotiating with IT firm Capgemini about the hi-tech initiative and is unable to give a definite figure for the scheme.
The total cost of the programme is thought to be somewhere around £170 million.I
nitial contracts were signed in January for the first phase of the multi-million pound scheme, known as Resource@Swansea, which will revolutionise the way human resources, payroll, finance and procurement departments work. But the council has now confirmed that it is still negotiating with Capgemini about stage two, Service@Swansea, which is designed to improve customer service for the city's residents.
The whole scheme has been dubbed Wales's most ambitious and exciting e-Government programme by supporters.
But critics have said they are worried about what they describe as its spiralling costs and have questioned whether it will deliver the promised efficiency savings.
Councillor Mary Jones, cabinet member for e-Government and top performance, confirmed that negotiations are continuing over costs.
She told a council meeting: "Council officers are currently working with Capgemini to find a solution that will enable the council to proceed with this project.
"A key issue will be ensuring that the cost is affordable over the 10 years of the programme and that the affordability problem of the early years is addressed.
"When this work has been concluded I will be able to confirm the final cost of the e-Government programme overall."
