Next week’s cabinet papers reportedly contain a small item – a two and a half page report, in fact – which makes the recommendation that the Council “should not proceed to sign a contract for phase two of the e-government programme with CapGemini”.It goes on to state that the delivery of financial benefits from phase one has not enabled the Council, within the first year of the programme, to release sufficient funding for investment.
In other words, the Lib Dem flagship scheme for County Hall has finally transcended from farce into tragedy. And no amount of talk about prudence is going to hide the fact that the actual service element of Service@Swansea has just fallen off the drawing board indefinitely and that cuts have left some front-line departments unable to deliver on the basics.
We are not surprised to hear of an attempt to divert press attention from this rather significant development, or lack of it, by offering alternative briefings on the Leisure Centre and next year’s budget spending.
As it turns out, the previously supportive Beans on Toast describe the move as "a complete U-turn".
It's no wonder that the Lib Dem spinners closed down their old site - if only to stop anyone reading gems like this:
Friday, April 28, 2006
No credibility
Labour's latest claim that the Service@Swansea programme is a failure is a bit premature even by their standards. Yes, millions have been spent but the Council is still on course to achieve its target savings and to deliver the required efficiencies and improvements in service.
There will also be a massively improved interface with the public that will transform the Council's customer service record.
The real question that needs to be answered on this issue is with all their flip-flops and inability to understand the financing of e-government, do Labour have any credibility left in commenting on this matter?
Alas for them the answer is 'no'.
posted by Insider at 6:22 AM
