Contact: Jos Creese ([email protected]) 01962 847436, ext 200 7436

Fiona Ives ([email protected]) 01962 847426, ext 200 7426

1 Summary

a. Authority be delegated to the Head of IT Services and the Head of Corporate & Legal Services in consultation with the Executive Member and County Treasurer to negotiate and let the disaster recovery contract, covering all critical applications listed previously, subject to the final cost being within the amount agreed by the Executive Member on 7 December 2007;

b. For new services that are identified as critical applications after the disaster recovery contract is agreed, inclusion in the disaster recovery contract to be funded by the Department owning that service, given that the disaster recovery contract provides that additional services could be added at marginal cost;

c. That work should continue separately, once the contract is in place, to develop a business case for a longer term IT disaster recovery solution with a partner authority or authorities, subject to Cabinet's assessment of the policies and priorities it wishes to put in place for disaster recovery.

2 Reason

2.1 The increasing reliance on IT systems increases the potential impact should an unexpected disaster hit the main computer centre in Winchester. Whilst the likelihood of such an incident is very low, the impact could be very high. Additionally, when the County Council moves it current data centre from the basement in Elizabeth II Court as part of the Ashburton Court refurbishment programme, risks of failure inevitably increase and measures need to be taken to minimise that risk.

2.2 This proposal is for IT disaster recovery services to be provided by an external organisation for a minimum of two years covering the register of critical applications. In parallel to this, it is proposed that longer term contingency measures are considered, particularly based around a shared service approach with other public service organisations in Hampshire and beyond.

2.3 This decision will support the corporate priority because IT disaster recovery protection supports all County Council activities reliant on IT systems and all electronic services.

3 Other Options Considered and Rejected:

3.1 The options are:

a. Do nothing - rejected on the grounds of the increasing risk and potential cost of an IT disaster affecting the Country Council.

b. A long term Disaster Recovery Contract for critical applications - this is rejected on the grounds that it would represent a considerable financial investment which would only be justified once alternatives of a shared service and partnership approach with other public service organisations had been ruled out.

4 Conflicts of interest declared by the decision maker or other Executive member consulted - none.

5 Dispensation granted by the Standards Committee - none.

6 Reason(s) for the matter being dealt with if urgent - none.

Approved by:

Councillor T K Thornber CBE

Executive Member for Policy and Resources Date: 18 June 2008