Agenda item

(a)  That the matters contained in the report be considered urgently to enable the licences to be renewed before the end of March 2022.

(b)  That the award of a new three-year agreement for Microsoft licences with Dell to run from 01.04.22 – 31.03.25 via the government crown commercial framework at a three-year cost of £1.633m as provided for in the revenue budget be approved.

(c)  That the decision (b) be implemented urgently as any delay that could be caused by the call-in process would seriously prejudice the Council’s interests.

The Cabinet agreed to consider an urgent report on the renewal of the Council’s Microsoft licences which were due to expire on 31^st March 2022.  The details of the licences were explained by the Director of Finance.  The proposal had been through the Council’s procurement processes and were within budget.

The Chair of the Overview & Scrutiny Committee addressed the Cabinet and expressed concern about the need to take this decision urgently.  In response it was noted that the report had been brought forward from the wider ICT Modernisation Programme report coming to Cabinet on 29^th March 2022 to ensure the licences could be renewed before 25^th March 2022 and therefore avoid any disruption to the services.

The Cabinet agreed the recommendations and agreed they could be implemented urgently to ensure the licences could be renewed before expiry.

Resolved –

(a)  That the matters contained in the report be considered urgently to enable the licences to be renewed before the end of March 2022.

(b)  That the award of a new three-year agreement for Microsoft licences with Dell to run from 01.04.22 – 31.03.25 via the government crown commercial framework at a three-year cost of £1.633m as provided for in the revenue budget be approved.

(c)  That the decision (b) be implemented urgently as any delay that could be caused by the call-in process would seriously prejudice the Council’s interests.