County's Modernisation Programme Fails

10.05.00am GMT Fri 16th Nov 2007

The modernisation programme introduced by the Conservative County Council "Excellence for our Customers" has failed to work according to a report given to the County's Cabinet Meeting.

Brian Hoare, Liberal Democrat County Leader said: "This is just what we expected. We said at the time that the programme was too big, over ambitious, too risky in terms of predicting budget savings, and the involvement with opposition councillors was almost non existent."

"The vastness of the programme can clearly be seen at the new Customer Contact Centre where less than ten percent of the centre is being utilised. It was brought in too quickly with insufficient planning as to the services that will be based there. It stands three quarters unoccupied."

"The cost of consultants on this programme was reported to the Enterprise Scrutiny Committee as being £1.5 million a month. This is a huge burden on the budget, and we are relieved to see that it has now been reduced to £600,000 a month, which is still a huge sum of money"

"£9 million which was due to be saved from the budget this year by this programme will not be achieved, cuts are being made to services, and financial reserves used to cover these unachievable savings."