The Chair welcomed Councillor Adam Sykes to the meeting and asked him to introduce the report on the findings and recommendations of the IT Disaster Recovery Scrutiny Review, which he had chaired and which had been undertaken by five members of the former Transformation and Resources Policy and Performance Committee, Councillors Chris Carubia, Steve Foulkes and former Councillors Leah Fraser and John Salter.

The review was conducted over a small number of meetings held with appropriate officers and information was provided as requested by the Review Panel to allow detailed question and answer sessions to be carried out.

The Panel’s objectives in doing this work were to receive assurances that the Council established effective IT disaster recovery arrangements and took steps to mitigate risks relating to IT disaster recovery highlighted in the Council’s risk register. It was also an aim of the Panel to raise the profile of IT disaster recovery across the Council. The Panel commended the Council on a number of projects undertaken to increase IT resilience and reduce risks of IT failure via the data centre project and other associated work. The Panel believed that it was important to ensure progress continued with these projects in order to enhance and update the Council’s IT infrastructure following a period of underinvestment. 

The report provided a number of recommendations which the Review Panel believed would assist the Council in providing a suitable IT platform to support delivery of the Wirral Plan pledges.

Councillor Sykes responded to comments from Members and informed the meeting that it was the expectation of officers that the alternative data centre location would be set up by April 2017. He thanked all the members and officers involved in the review for all their help and support.

Resolved -

(1)  That the contents and recommendations of the Scrutiny Report, ‘IT Disaster Recovery’ be supported.

(2)  That the report be referred to the next appropriate Cabinet meeting.