Shropshire Council's '£10 million' computer system upgrade under fire

Councillor Alan Mosley, leader of the authority's Labour Group, says that the costs of the council's "digital transformation strategy" are a result of years of under-investment.

The council is expected to release the details behind its proposals for the new computer system next week, ahead of a meeting of the cabinet on Wednesday.

Costs are estimated to be more than £10 million, with council leader Malcolm Pate admitting it will require a "substantial" investment.

It comes after the cabinet agreed to spend about £6.4 million on a system solely for the council's children's and adults social care departments.

Councillor Mosley said the authority would need to ensure the costs do not spiral out of control.

He said: "It seems an extraordinary amount of money and obviously shows that Shropshire Council has failed to maintain an appropriate system in recent years – and it will need a high level of scrutiny to ensure this amount of capital is required and that it is spent in the best possible way."

The council has also encountered problems in securing a new director of its IT services after the person appointed to take the role said they would not be taking up the position.

A team of consultants has been reviewing the council's current computer system over the past few months, and has been asked to produce a report on options for the replacement.

The cost of the team is more than £600,000 and it is understood that one of the consultants has taken on the post as director in the interim.

Councillor Pate has said that the decision on the system is "hugely important".

He said: "The one we are operating at the moment is not sustainable in the long term, it is quite old stuff, some of it."