Item 08 - People and Technology Spend 2026-27
West Dunbartonshire Council · 4 February 2026
Back to Corporate Services Committee — 4 February 2026 and its agenda
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WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL Report by Chief Officer – People & Technology Corporate Services Committee: 4 February 2026 ___________________________________________________________________ Subject: People & Technology Spend 2026-27 1. Purpose 1.1 To provide the Committee with a detailed breakdown of the planned People and Technology (P&T) spend for both capital and revenue, covering new and existing contracts valued above £10,000 and to seek approval to procure and contract for the requisite goods and services. 2. Recommendations 2.1 The Committee is asked to: 2.1.1 note the revenue and capital spend detail included in this report. 2.1.2 note the projects to deliver this spend will be included in the 2026-27 People and Technology Delivery Plan currently in development and to be reported to a future meeting of this committee. 2.1.3 approve the procurement of and award by the Chief Officer Regulatory and Regeneration in consultation with the Chief Officer – People and Technology of all contracts valued at £213,477 (VAT inclusive) and above subject to the cost being within the approved budget and the tender being in line with normal tender parameters. 2.1.4 note, that where the contract award is less than £213,477 (VAT inclusive), authority is delegated to the Chief Officer Regulatory and Regeneration in consultation with the Chief Officer – People and Technology to instruct the award of contracts for the planned revenue and capital spend detailed in this report to suppliers providing the most economically advantageous offer to the Council. 2.1.5 approve the revenue spend included in this report including approval to explore and secure multi-year contracts, contracts using framework agreements and/or contracts using dynamic purchasing systems beyond the term of approved budgets where efficiencies and savings can be achieved. 2.1.6 approve the projects specified in Section 3 of this report; and ITEM 8
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3. Background Revenue 3.1 The Council, delegated to the P&T Service, has an annual revenue spend of approximately £3,000,000 that covers a range of ICT goods and services, for example corporate and service applications, telephony lines and licences, network connectivity as well as security and application licences. Appendix 1 details estimated spend over £10,000 per managed system/technology. 3.2 The ICT team consults annually with the Corporate Procurement Unit to refine contract strategies. The breakdown includes: Corporate business applications for the management of processes such as Finance, Housing, Performance and Purchasing. Although the annual maintenance budget for these systems is held by People & Technology (ICT section), the responsibility for the systems and associated contracting lies with the system owners within each service area. The system owners are responsible for granting system access and permissions, data management and security compliance, coordinating upgrades, verifying license and budget requirements, and ensuring the systems continue to meet service strategy and future requirements. ICT assist with licence verification and liaise with service areas to verify application use, licence requirements and to identify if there are opportunities to reduce costs. Infrastructure hardware commodity includes servers, switches, wireless access points, security infrastructure, cabling, telephony infrastructure, storage and multi-function printers and scanners. Education curriculum software commodity is the responsibility of Education, Learning & Attainment with support from the ICT team. The software may be subject, sector or establishment based. The end user hardware commodity includes all PCs, laptops, mobile phones, tablets, and Chromebooks across the Council. The Corporate licenses commodity includes software products such as Microsoft 365 services, ICT helpdesk system, security technologies for scanning, protection, and encryption, as well as device, application, and policy management technologies. The technology is managed by the ICT team on behalf of the Council however licenses can also be purchased by service areas as required.
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Network commodity includes telephony and network lines. Responsibility for this commodity is dispersed across Council services. 3.3 While many of the annual maintenance and license payments and arrangements have been in place for several years, the category management approach to procurement provides the opportunity to examine spend to deliver improved and/or collaborative approaches. The aim is to secure improved contracts and deliver cashable and non-cashable benefits as well as improved supplier management practices and monitoring. 3.4 Based on experience, the requirements listed below tend to be purchased as cloud services and require additional revenue funding which, consequently, are included in ICT burdens. ICT infrastructure is frequently assessed and upgraded to support the growing demands of the organisation and explore cloud computing options for increased scalability, resilience, flexibility, cost-effectiveness, to identify any savings opportunities and to maximise our current investment. 3.5 As we move into 2026/27, our commitment to delivering a modern, efficient, and empowering digital experience for employees remains at the heart of our ICT strategy. The next phase of modernisation will not only refresh devices across our Corporate and Education estates but also unlock the potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI) hardware built directly into our devices. 3.6 The Council’s existing Cisco telephony infrastructure is approaching end-of-life, presenting both operational risk and an opportunity for modernisation. To address this, the Council has awarded a contract to BT plc via the SWAN2 Value Added Services framework for the delivery of a cloud-based telephony system and a next-generation contact centre solution. Implementation of the solution began during November 25 with an anticipated completion date of May 26. This project aligns with the Council’s digital transformation objectives, enhances resilience, and supports improved citizen engagement. Capital 3.7 The Council continues to make a substantial commitment to improving and securing the ICT infrastructure and processes to support and innovate service delivery transformation through capital investment. 3.8 Table 1 below is an excerpt from the 10-year capital plan as agreed by Council in March 2025 and includes the following recurring ICT capital budget for 2026/27. Table 1 – Existing Agreed ICT 1-Year Capital Plan Capital allocation 2026/27
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ICT Security & Resilience £387,000 ICT Modernisation £459,000 Total £841,000 3.9 The scope for each project will include some flexibility, allowing for spend on smaller value works via the appropriate procurement route. Where possible and where opportunities arise, officers aim to secure match funding from external sources i.e., Microsoft funding to assist with implementation of Copilot 365. The investment projects for capital spend are detailed in Table 2 below. ICT will consult with Corporate Procurement unit to ensure the correct procurement route is followed for each spend project. 3.10 Some of the ICT capital spend may have revenue implications and this will be managed through future revenue planning and based on the actual spend. Table 2 – Proposed Projects ICT Capital Spend 2026-27 Description Capital (Est) ICT Security & DR, Resilience £387,000 1. Replace Ageing Infrastructure Hardware 2. Security Compliance remediation 3. Security Resourcing - multi-year consultancy services 4. Internal ICT resource recharges 5. Security Patching Improvements 6. Cisco Enterprise Agreement £94,000 £70,000 £23,000 £90,000 £20,000 £90,000 ICT Modernisation £459,000 1. Chromebooks Device replacement: (laptops, PCs, chromebooks and mobile phones for both Corporate and Education) 2. Resources to Support a range of corporate projects. £336,000 £123,000 Total £846,000 3.11 Device replacement ICT will undertake the annual device review project for PCs, laptops and mobile phones that are reaching end of life and or 5-year refresh point as per the ICT Strategy 2023-28. These items are purchased from nationally agreed frameworks and the overall spend is detailed in Table 2. The supplier has increased the lifespan of Chromebooks; therefore, no devices are required to be replaced during 26/27. However, there are a significant volume of Chromebooks due to be replaced in 27/28. 3.12 Infrastructure Hardware Replacement ICT will undertake an annual review of all infrastructure hardware such as
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Wi-Fi access points, servers, switches and firewalls to refresh ageing hardware and ensure it is up to date, secure and remains in line with technological advances. Investment in this area enabled the Council to install new modern firewalls during January 25 which strengthened network security. This work will continue during 2026/27 as part of our commitment to maintaining safe digital services. All hardware is purchased via nationally agreed frameworks to achieve best value and the overall spend detailed in Table 2. 3.13 Microsoft 365 The council has invested heavily in 365 cloud services and has made considerable progress on associated projects throughout 2025/26 with corporate services and partners migrating to 365 email, SharePoint and One Drive. The main deliverable during 2026 is to complete the migration project by implementing this technology for services including Finance, Housing, HSCP, West Dunbartonshire Leisure trust and Education establishments including enabling One Drive access for high school pupils. 3.14 Artificial Intelligence (AI) The Council continues to embrace modern technology and advance digital transformation by deploying Copilot Chat, a secure AI-powered assistant that streamlines tasks through contextual support, automation, and quick data analysis. Building on this technology, the next phase will introduce Copilot 365, delivering deeper integration across Microsoft 365 applications such as SharePoint, Teams, Outlook, and the Office suite. A limited trial will be conducted for selected employees to assess benefits and manage additional licensing costs. Subject to a successful pilot, further investment and rollout will be considered for service areas with the greatest potential for time savings. Any additional capital investment, including large scale security configuration, will follow the Council committee approval processes to ensure compliance and deliver best value. 4. Main Issues Procurement 4.1 Consideration will be given to multi-year contracts, and contracts using framework agreements and/or contracts using dynamic purchasing systems where recurring capital/revenue budget has been approved and where this would deliver efficiencies. Where recurring revenue is approved on a yearly basis, consideration will be given to multi-year contracts, and contracts using framework agreements or contracts using dynamic purchasing systems. The authority sought in Paragraph 2.1, to include the option to enter such multi-year contracts beyond the second year for those items listed in Section 3 and the appendix to this report.
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4.2 The contract strategies for each of the revenue and capital projects will continue to be developed on a project-by-project basis and will include consideration of market testing existing collaborative framework or collaborative purchasing system, running mini competitions, e-auctions, direct awards as well as full tender processes. 4.3 Protecting Our Digital Future: Strengthening Cyber Security in the Council 4.3.1 As our reliance on digital technology continues to grow, so too does the importance of protecting the systems and data that support vital council services. Local government is increasingly a target for cyber threats, and we are committed to staying ahead of these risks. The Council has made significant investments in cyber security, both in technology and in training for our employees to safeguard sensitive information and ensure the continuity of services that citizens rely on every day. This includes protecting personal data and the digital infrastructure that underpins all council services technology. 4.3.2 The Council are also exploring new technologies, including Artificial Intelligence (AI), to enhance our cyber resilience. AI offers powerful tools to detect threats faster, respond more effectively, and reduce the risk of human error. At the same time, we are carefully considering the risks that AI itself can introduce, and how to manage them responsibly. 4.3.3 Looking ahead, we are preparing for the next generation of cyber security regulations and compliance standards. By continuing to invest in secure systems and smart technologies we aim to build a safer, more resilient digital environment for everyone. Our vision is to create a secure, adaptive, and collaborative environment where technology empowers employees to improve service delivery for our citizens, and without compromising integrity, privacy, or public confidence. 4.4 Technology Dependence The council faces rapid technological change alongside ongoing budgetary and resource constraints. Demand for ICT services continues to grow, driven by: Rising citizen expectations for digital access and efficient services Financial pressures requiring cost-effective solutions Strategic transformation objectives across all service areas Employees increasingly rely on technology to deliver services effectively and support continuous improvement. To meet these challenges, continued investment in modern, innovative, and secure technology is essential, despite external pressures. This commitment will: Ensure the effective use of digital tools
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Support innovation and transformation Empower employees to enhance service delivery Safeguard service resilience and security 4.5 The financial resources to deliver this technology are included in section 3 of this report, such as: Data and bandwidth demand increasing – e.g., surge in SharePoint access and MS Teams video meetings, device updates, data backups and migration to cloud services for telephony and 365 solutions. Cyber security where increased sophisticated threats and risk in the security landscape require continuous investment in both technology and employees. Services exploring and implementing digital transformation. Embracing modern technologies e.g., Artificial Intelligence and Automation. Software licences e.g., as services move to cloud hosted systems and increased cost of subscription licences. Device replacement e.g., as schools aim for a 1:1 device per pupil ratio. 4.6 ICT licensing is increasingly being offered as cloud/hosted subscription-based licensing model and this change of delivery mechanism is driving change to the current funding profile for ICT goods and services. In addition, suppliers are now reducing on premise system support and forcing customers to use cloud hosted system at increased cost. This change means expenditure is transitioning from a mixture of capital and revenue budgets to a need for a revenue only budget. ICT will continue to collaborate with resources colleagues to monitor this transition and continue to ensure the Council follows a cloud appropriate strategy and to improve resilience where possible. 4.7 Digital Transformation The Council is currently in year 3 of the People First Strategy which encompasses digital, engagement, learning and development, wellbeing, and workforce planning. To deliver this work, ICT and the Digital teams are aligned and collaborating closely with both teams engaged in work being undertaken at a national level to support Digital transformation. It is evident that without ongoing investment in both digital solutions and the workforce skills and mindset required to realise the benefits of the technology, the ability to harness opportunities for efficiencies and service delivery transformation will be limited. Digital transformation is at the heart of sustainable public services moving forward and in order to ensure that the technological infrastructure and skills required to use that infrastructure effectively, digital change and transformation programmes must be prioritised.
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4.7.1 Key areas for the coming year will be the continued roll out of Microsoft 365, where both teams will work jointly to support services with sound structures and best practice as they migrate to M365 collaboration services (MS Teams, SharePoint and OneDrive). Alongside this, the Digital team have now started work undertaking Fit for Future reviews on key corporate processed. These processes have an impact across the Council and provide an opportunity, not just to streamline a large process, but also an opportunity for the organisation to feel the benefit of digital transformation. 4.7.2 In addition, work to build the data skills and knowledge in the Council continues with quarterly digital themes and the promotion of learning opportunities available through Scottish Government’s Digital Skills Academy. This is being complemented by the development of a Data Strategy which will provide the foundations needed to ensure that data is used as a strategic asset in the Council and leveraged to inform decision making and ensure that the insights gained from data within the Council are meaningful and evidence based. 4.7.3 With the focus of Fit for Future moving to corporate processes, the development of a Data Strategy and ongoing work in developing data skills and awareness as well as the delivery of service design training and the roll out of new digital tools, the Digital and ICT Teams will be working to create an environment where people are enabled to be experimental in their ways of working. This curiosity and strengthened skills set will support the workforce in realising the benefits of digital transformation and continued delivery of services during a challenging time. 5. People Implications 5.1 There is the potential for reduction in available resources which may impact the Council’s ability and capacity to continuing providing appropriate support levels and deliver spend projects in the anticipated timeframe. 5.2 The ICT team has an established review and service improvement process to ensure resources are allocated to the highest priority work. 5.3 Several identified projects will involve activities such as design, implementation, skills transfer, project consultancy services, and training. These projects require specialist knowledge to successfully introduce modern technologies, for example, the deployment of Microsoft Copilot 365. As part of these initiatives, ICT employees will receive training and gain hands-on experience, knowledge, and skills. This approach ensures that employees can effectively manage, support, and further develop these technologies in the long term. 6. Financial and Procurement Implications
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6.1 Existing Framework Agreements or Dynamic Purchasing System will be used where they have proven to demonstrate best value and where practical. Revenue budget is in place for all licenses and maintenance spend identified in the Appendix. This, plus an inflationary increase, is included within the draft revenue budget for 2026-27 (subject to Council approval in March 2026). 6.2 The ICT and Corporate Procurement teams engage with service areas when introducing new ICT systems so that technology, procurement, and security issues can be identified during the procurement and evaluation stages and prior to contract signing. This early engagement approach also helps identify potential savings and spend opportunities so that these can be included in future budget processes. 6.3 The cost estimates for capital spend are based on high level research and may vary but will remain within the capital plan due for approval by Council in March 2026 as outlined in Table 2. The projects specified can be scaled up or down. 6.4 All procurement activity conducted by the Council for spend valued from £213,477 (VAT inclusive) is subject to contract strategy. The contract strategy shall include but not be limited to; options appraisals, contract scope, service forward plan, market condition, procurement model and routes – including existing delivery vehicles, roles and responsibilities, risks, issues and opportunities and on-going contract management. Some of the options considered include for example: 7. Risk Analysis 7.1 There is a risk that the capital project actual costs may exceed the capital project estimates as detailed in Table 2. This risk will be mitigated by a range of contract strategy options being explored as well as building scalability into the tender for example reducing the number of devices being replaced or specification of the device. Ongoing regular Budgetary Control Reporting will provide information on any significant adverse variance in cost and mitigating actions available. 7.2 ICT equipment prices in the short term are stabilising. However, in the long-term prices are anticipated to increase due to component price increases and suppliers including AI hardware built into computers. Any price increases will impact project spend and volume of devices able to be purchased and this may result in ICT unable to meet our agreed 5-year device refresh strategy. 7.3 Linked to Strategic Risks: SR04 Keeping Abreast of Developments in the Innovative Use of Technology; and SR08 Threat of Cyber Risk ensure visibility and scrutiny through Audit Committee. 7.4 ICT employee numbers has reduced over recent years and will reduce again in 2026/27 as part of the Council’s budget savings. This trend is increasing our
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dependency on external suppliers/consultancies for specialist activities (projects, upgrades, complex incident resolution). As the service loses resources with specialist skillsets, there is a high likelihood that expected service levels will become unsustainable, causing more frequent and longer ICT disruptions. These disruptions would have widespread, cross-Council impact on front-line services that citizens rely on. 8. Equalities Impact Assessment (EIA) 8.1 A full screening (EIA 1348) has been conducted and there is no impact on any group for any of the technology spend plans. 8.2 The annual device replacement project will continue to include delivery of specialist ICT equipment/adaptations for employees and pupils with additional support needs as required. This will also apply where public access devices are being replaced. The procurement process will be conducted in line with the Council’s procurement and equality guidance, and implementation planning will consider equality issues. 9. Environmental Sustainability 9.1 ICT is committed to sustainable technology to lessen energy consumption, carbon emissions, enhance resource management, and decrease the amount of technology waste produced. In accordance with council contract strategy development and the Scottish Government Sustainability toolkit, the council will explore sustainability opportunities in all tenders. Contract strategies for individual projects will consider a range of sustainability issues including the environmental implications of ICT equipment and services. 10. Consultation 10.1 Legal, CPU, Education and the Section 95 Officer have been consulted on the content of this paper. It was not necessary to consult with our Trades Union colleagues on this report. However, the Council’s ICT strategy and activity is discussed with the Convenors group where required. 11. Strategic Assessment 11.1 High quality ICT equipment and services contribute to the Council’s 2022-27 strategic objectives to ensure our workforce is resilient and skilled where digital technology supports service delivery for our citizens; and all employees are provided with the technology needed to do their job effectively. 11.2 ICT is part of the People and Technology service and annual spend plans have been developed in support of the Council’s core strategic ambitions across
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business service areas as reflected in the Council Strategic 5-year plan 2022-27 and ICT Strategy 2023-2028. 11.3 The planned capital spend on improved security, resilience and modern technology ensures that a fit for purpose and secure ICT environment that supports all the Council service areas to deliver on their strategic objectives. 11.4 The ICT contracts will contribute to delivery of the Council’s strategic priorities through the development of robust contract strategies which will explore the inclusion of community benefits which improve economic growth and employability. Further opportunities to maximise the positive social, economic, and environmental impact for West Dunbartonshire Council through the contracts will also be explored. Name: Victoria Rogers Designation: Chief Officer - People and Technology Date: 9th January 2026 Person to Contact: James Gallacher, Manager of ICT, 07531184141 Appendix: ICT Estimated Revenue Spend over £10,000 per System Background papers: EIA ICT Strategy 2023-28 Wards Affected: All
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Appendix 1 – Estimated Annual Revenue Spend over £10,000 (based on 2025-26) Microsoft Enterprise Agreement Licences Phoenix 31.12.2028 £631,200 Wide Area Network SWAN 2.0 01.02.2033 £186,700 Social Work Case Management & Scheduler OLM 31.03.2026 £134,700 Cloud Telephony System BT 01.12.2030 £120,000 Integrated Housing Management System Aareon UK 07.02.2027 £115,100 Education MIS SEEMIS 02.05.2026 £105,500 Remote Access BT 31.12.2026 £97,000 M365 Education licenses Phoenix 01.07.2026 £83,500 Revenue & Benefits Northgate 31.03.2026 £79,600 Automation Software UI Path 01.02.2027 £74,400 Leisure Management MRM Gladstone 01.11.2026 £68,400 365 Cloud Backup Barracuda 31.10.2026 £67,800 Electronic Document Management Civica 31.03.2026 £57,800 Various/ Amalgamated Housing Benefits and Allocations Civica 31.03.2026 £57,800 Online Forms Granicus 30.11.2026 £49,000 Vulnerability Management Qualys Computacenter 24.12.2026 £39,500 Firewall Support BT 12.05.2029 £37,000 Planning & Building Uniform System IDOX 31.03.2026 £35,900 Job Costing CIS Core Accuris 30.01.2026 £32,600 Employability Case Management Advice Pro ACM 30.03.2026 £32,400 Security Filtering Management Infosec 04.06.2026 £31,900 Roads – Lighting, Collision, Flood Mgmt. WDM Various dates £31,400 Library Management Spydus Civica 1.12.2029 £29,100 Energy Management Navigator Inspired 01.04.2026 £27,500 Local Government Digital Transformation Scottish Gov. 31.03.2026 £27,400 Virtual Server Environment Support Phoenix/VMware 22.12.2025 £27,300 Corporate Arrears System Merchant 31.05.2026 £26,900 Flare Environmental Services Civica 31.03.2026 £26,900 GGP GIS software ESRI 31.03.2026 £26,700 Workforce Management Frontier 07.10.2026 £26,000 Freshservice ICT Service Desk Softcat 28.02.2026 £25,900 Backup Management Insight 31.12.2028 £25,800 Asset Management CIPFA 30.04.2026 £24,300 Performance Management system Ideagan 30.04.2026 £21,600 Server Maintenance Park Place 02.09.2026 £20,500 Election Management Avantguard IDOX 28.02.2026 £20,100
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Vehicle Management Fleetmaster Trapeze UK 31.03.2026 £19,700 Education Gateway Glasgow C.C 06.06.2026 £17,600 Council Website Support Brace Digital 31.10.2026 £15,600 ORACLE ULA Oracle 05.04.2026 £14,800 ORBIS Northgate/NEC 31.03.2026 £14,800 Device Security Management Antivirus IT Bus Ltd. 26.06.2026 £13,900 Agresso support Hennessy IT 31.05.2027 £13,500 NBS Building RIBA 31.12.2028 £12,400 Housing Homeless database AVD 31.03.2026 £12,300 Health & Safety system Figtree 14.07.2026 £12,200 Council Meetings System Astech 30.04.2026 £11,900 Phishing simulation and training platform Metacompliance 11.06.2026 £11,800 Resource Booking System Omnijo 31.03.2026 £10,700
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