South Wales Evening Post - 6 November 2006
An independent inquiry into Swansea Council's controversial new computer system could be on the cards.
Opposition members are expected to call for the probe at Thursday's council meeting after revelations that the £83 million scheme is failing to deliver the promised savings.
The hi-tech e-Government programme is designed to revolutionise the way the authority conducts its business and deals with the public.
But the scheme has been plagued by problems including spiralling costs and the longest strike in local government history.
Council IT staff spent eight weeks protesting against the plans after learning about them in a European trade magazine
.The programme was expected to save £711,000 in its first year, but red-faced bosses have admitted it is likely to miss the target by almost £500,000.
Public sector union bosses have already raised concerns about how the shortfall will be paid for. Now the council will debate a motion calling for an outside body such as the Wales Audit Office to investigate the handling of whole e-Government programme.
Labour leader David Phillips said: "The e-Government project has become a black hole that is sucking money and resources from the council.
"It has profound implications for the ability of the council to deliver services to the people of Swansea.
"This issue can't be looked at by an internal inquiry, it has got to be done externally."
But Councillor Mary Jones, who is in charge of the project, hit back at its critics.
She said: "This programme is a lot more complex than many people realise, and a terrific amount of good work has already been done.
"I welcome the chance for a discussion - it will bring a lot of the issues out into the open and will clear up some misconceptions."
Your Views
This project has been a disaster from the day it was conceived. Why do Swansea Council persist in flogging this dead horse? It is simply putting public money into private sector pockets?
G. Dawes, Killay
The problem facing Mary Jones is that the Service@Swansea has proved to be too complex for her. Unfortunately, it is us council taxpayers who are having to pick up the tab for her incompetence. If the same dismal level of performance happened in the private sector she and her team would been sacked. No question.
Keith, Morriston
Will the truth ever come out? I think that Swansea Council will just do another whitewash.
Paul, Swansea
