‘Website shouldn’t have cost Pounds 1m’
0 Comments | Brentwood Gazette, Sep 1, 2010
A COMPUTER expert says Essex County Council need not have splashed out nearly Pounds 1 million on its new website.
Under the Freedom of Information Act, the Gazette obtained official documents detailing specifications of the new design. And Paul Edwards, of Datastore in Laindon, says the local authority could have got the job done for Pounds 250,000 at most.
The bid for the new website was won earlier this year by international business services giant Deloitte.
“The council is getting a truly Rolls Royce service from Deloitte for Pounds 830,000,” Mr Edwards said.
“However, they could also get a Rolls Royce service for about Pounds 250,000.”
Having looked at the specifications, he added: “The council want video – well that’s Flash technology – and believe it or not they can download that for free.”
Pages are also being designed and constructed by in-house council staff.
“I would have expected the council to task that to specialists as part of the contract included in the cost,” he told the Gazette.
“From what I understand, it seems the council lacks understanding of the basics, like exactly where to place photographs and captions for the best effect, and how to set up menus that don’t make people hunt about to find what they want.
“The council also does not appear to be making onerous demands on its supplier.
“What it wants is not out of the ordinary: the ability to issue blue badges online, death and marriage certificates, people to be able to book, pay, report highway problems online and allow users to take part in online opinion votes and so on.”
The council has defended its decision to award the job to Deloitte – the lowest of three tenders among other top corporate web creators. The highest was said to be approaching Pounds 2 million.
It is further understood that Deloitte often writes in a guaranteed 50 per cent refund if it does not fulfil all the terms of a contract with a local authority.