Decision details

To seek Executive Member approval for the procurement of new computer software for Fareham Housing.

This report provides the Executive Member with information on the new software proposed for managing the Council’s tenants and Leaseholders.  It has been identified that the existing IT is outdated and ineffective, with five interlinked sections of the department holding data separately.  Orchard, which is currently used for Tenancy Management, was first implemented in 1996.  The remaining data is held either in bespoke software or Excel spreadsheets developed to fill in the gaps over the years.

The software used for each team needs to interact to enable joined up working and an effective customer experience.  The existing IT cannot accomplish this because of the different formats the data is held in. The logical conclusion is to replace these separate formats and use one encompassing system.

The Government’s online marketplace, the G-Cloud, was used in tandem with a detailed specification to identify the software solution. Civica have been selected, providing both a competitive rate and a best fit for the needs of the department.

Civica is the digital partner for more than 140 local authorities in the UK and work with other public bodies such as the NHS and the Home Office.  Extensive work has been undertaken to ensure Civica can meet the Council’s user, security and IT requirements.  Purchase of the Civica product provides an additional advantage, the software will integrate seamlessly with the asset management system (Keystone) procured earlier in the year.

Civica also supplies an Enhanced Repairs Module.  This module is separate to Cx Housing but will provide the essential functionality for running the Responsive Repairs service.  However, this module is not available on the G-Cloud, so the purchase would be made via the Council’s standard procurement procedure.

It is recommended that the procurement of Civica’s Housing Cx and Enhanced Repairs Module is approved.