Agenda and draft minutes

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Media

Items
No. Item

22.

FILMING AT MEETINGS

Please note that this meeting may be filmed or recorded by the Council for live or subsequent broadcast via the Council’s internet site or by anyone attending the meeting using any communication method. Although we ask members of the public recording, filming or reporting on the meeting not to include the public seating areas, members of the public attending the meeting should be aware that we cannot guarantee that they will not be filmed or recorded by others attending the meeting. Members of the public participating in the meeting (e.g. making deputations, asking questions, making oral protests) should be aware that they are likely to be filmed, recorded or reported on. 

 

By entering the meeting room and using the public seating area, you are consenting to being filmed and to the possible use of those images and sound recordings.

 

The chair of the meeting has the discretion to terminate or suspend filming or recording, if in his or her opinion continuation of the filming, recording or reporting would disrupt or prejudice the proceedings, infringe the rights of any individual or may lead to the breach of a legal obligation by the Council.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Chair referred Members present to agenda Item 1 as shown on the agenda in respect of filming at this meeting and  asked that those present reviewed and noted the information contained therein’.

23.

URGENT BUSINESS

The Leader/Cabinet Member will advise of any items they have decided to take as urgent business.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

None.

 

24.

Award of Contract for Provision of Microsoft Enterprise Subscription pdf icon PDF 211 KB

The report will seek Cabinet Member approval to award a contract under the Crown Commercial Services Technology Products Framework lot 2 (RM1054) for Microsoft software licenses through a Microsoft Enterprise Subscription Agreement (ESA) for a period of 3 years with the option to extend for a further period of 3 years. By procuring through the ESA, the Council is offsetting an anticipated overall average increase of about 47% on software licences after 30th June 2015.

The indicative annual spend of the ESA is £350,000 resulting in a total indicative spend of £1,050,000 over the initial 3 year contract term or £2,100,000 over the maximum 6-year extended term.

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

A report was tabled seeking Cabinet Member Approval to award a contract under the Crown Commercial Services Technology Products Framework lot 2 (RM1054) for Microsoft software licenses (an Enterprise Subscription Agreement).

 

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Microsoft Corporation had entitled the UK Public Sector to receive significant pricing discount on software licences, but the MoU expired on 30th April 2015. A bridging arrangement was subsequently agreed with Microsoft, termed the Cloud Transformation Agreement, until the 30th June 2015. An overall average price increase of around 47% was anticipated if the Council was to enter into an Enterprise Subscription Agreement with Microsoft after the expiration of this bridging agreement.  The Cabinet Member noted that the contract value was approximately £350k per annum and the report proposed awarding the contract for a three year period, with the option to extend for a further period of 3 years.

 

Cllr Arthur asked for clarification on the potential to move to the Google App product set and asked which current IT services were not supported by Google. Officers responded that a number of the line of business back office systems such as Framework-I and the housing system were tightly aligned with Microsoft software. Although some functions such as the office suite and email could be replaced by the Google App set, this would only partly remove the dependency on Microsoft products and so would still require significant continued expenditure on Microsoft licenses. The Cabinet Member noted that another London borough was exploring the possibilities of moving over some of their systems to Google.

 

Cllr Hare commented that he was disappointed with the lack of analysis in the report on the possibilities of using open source software. The UK government mandated a preference for open source software for future developments in March 2015 and a number of UK government agencies use open source software for their websites. Cllr Hare requested that an options appraisal be undertaken to see where progress could be made in terms of moving to more open source software and suggested that the Council set an ambitious target to reduce software licensing by the time the next contract renewal process comes around. Cllr Carter reiterated Cllr Hare’s comments and stated that the report made clear how dependant the organisation was on Microsoft. Cllr Carter suggested that an independent report be commissioned to assess the feasibility of moving away from Microsoft based IT systems.

 

Officers broadly agreed about the over reliance on Microsoft systems. Officers commented that the overall market seemed to be changing towards smaller App-based pieces of software and that IT was developing in-house skills to take advantage of these applications. The Council already used Drupal which is open source software for its website and would continue to explore possibilities for using open source software in other areas but any large project would necessitate bringing in 3rd party assistance to support any open source development. The Interim Head of IT noted that the Council would be publishing its  ...  view the full minutes text for item 24.

25.

New Items of Urgent Business

To consider any new items of Urgent Business admitted under Item 1 above.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Nil.

26.

Exclusion of the Press and Public

That the press and public be excluded from the remainder of the meeting as the items below contain exempt information, as defined under Paragraph 3, Part 1, Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972.

Minutes:

N/A.

27.

Award of Contract for Provision of Microsoft Enterprise Subscription

 

As per Item 3.

 

Minutes:

As per item 3.

28.

New Items of Exempt Urgent Business

As per Item 2

Minutes:

N/A.