SaaS finance solution futureproofs council services

Douglas City Council on the Isle of Man has signed a landmark deal with leading Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) provider TechnologyOne to expedite the replacement of its legacy finance system and futureproof its operations with first-of-its-kind SaaS Plus offering.

Encompassing a range of forecasting tools, TechnologyOne’s Financials will empower the Council with access to real-time data to identify potential budget shortfalls, streamline and automate administrative processes and better anticipate community needs.

SaaS Plus sees TechnologyOne take full responsibility for delivering the complete solution including the implementation, operation and support for a single annual fee. It avoids the high initial outlay that usually comes with an ERP implementation, and acts as a safety net for organisations embarking on major digital transformation journeys by placing the onus of the implementation’s success on TechnologyOne and not the Council.

Managing a £37 million budget, Douglas City Council is the largest local authority on the island supporting 27,000 residents through various services including social housing, waste services and parks and gardens. The new solution will remove the burden of manual data entry and reporting processes, freeing up staff to focus on enhancing service delivery.

Council Leader, Claire Wells said: “As a local authority we have always strived to ensure we are efficient, transparent and provide the best services possible and value for money for residents. Partnering with TechnologyOne will further ensure we have the right technology in place, streamlining processes and identifying savings so we continue to use public money in an appropriate manner.”

Douglas City Council joins numerous councils partnering with TechnologyOne to implement its solutions.

West Lindsey District Council was able to identify a budget shortfall of £150,000 using TechnologyOne Financials. It leveraged the forecasting tool to redistribute its spending to ensure it could fulfil vital community programs like the Disabled Facilities Grant, which provides crucial funding that enables residents with disabilities to live safely and independently in their own homes.

TechnologyOne UK Executive Vice President Leo Hanna said: “Digital transformation isn’t something that can be put off. While digitisation cannot solve the structural problems facing the UK public sector, out of date IT systems that are no longer fit for purpose bring about huge inefficiencies and present compliance and risk problems.

"We're thrilled that Douglas City Council is proactively embracing new and innovative digital solutions so they can continue to deliver high quality services to their community."