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Report to: |
Audit Committee
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Date of meeting:
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28 March 2025 |
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By: |
Chief Operating Officer
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Title: |
Audit Committee Oracle Subgroup Update
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Purpose: |
To provide an update to the Audit Committee of the Oracle Subgroup’s most recent activity |
The Committee is recommended to note that the Committee’s Oracle Subgroup has regularly reviewed the Council’s Oracle Implementation programme.
1.1 The Committee at its meeting in September 2021 approved the establishment of a Subgroup to provide oversight of progress with the Oracle implementation programme, seeking assurance that the programme is performing adequately.
1.2 The Oracle Implementation Programme was established by the County Council in 2019. Prompted by the expected expiry of support for the Council’s existing Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software, SAP, the vision for Oracle is ‘to implement a suite of back-office systems that best meet the current and future needs of the Council and which provides optimal return on investment’.
Work of the Subgroup
2.1 Since the last update to the Audit Committee on 22 November 2024, the frequency of Subgroup meetings has increased, reflecting the increased governance of the programme in the run up to go-live of Phase 2 (Finance, Procurement and Recruitment), targeted for April 2025.
2.2 Since November the Subgroup has met 4 times as follows:
· 19 December 2024 – a summary of the minutes at Appendix A
· 23 January 2025 – a summary of the minutes at Appendix B
· 27 February 2025 – a summary of the minutes at Appendix C
· 14 March 2025 – a summary of the minutes at Appendix D
2.3 In each of the meetings the delivery plan, progress and key risks of the Oracle Programme were discussed. The Subgroup has noted the continued progress being made from meeting to meeting.
2.4 At their most recent meeting the Subgroup recognised the positive progress made and the increasing likelihood that the April 2025 target go-live date for Phase 2 would be met, but that there remained residual risks of staff absence of key personnel or ‘unknown unknowns’. The Subgroup also began to turn its attention to Phase 3.
2.5 In that meeting, the Chief Operating Officer confirmed that the Subgroup would be notified on a successful go-live, or would be alerted should there be any cause for concern. Given the proximity of the Audit Committee meeting to the target go-live date, a verbal update will be provided in the meeting on the programme’s real-time status.
3.1 The Committee is recommended to note that the Committee’s Oracle Subgroup has reviewed the Council’s Oracle programme to its satisfaction and continues to receive regular updates.
ROS PARKER
Chief Operating Officer
Contact Officers: John Davidson, Oracle Delivery Lead, Tel: 07534 699102
Email: john.davidson@eastsussex.gov.uk
BACKGROUND DOCUMENTS:
None