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It has emerged that the publication of the report on the Government's use of consultants, and details of Ministerial travel and expenses, have both been delayed – apparently resources were diverted to prioritise issues in the new government finance system instead.
The Government started delivering the Integrated Technology Solution (ITS) programme in January.
The transition was intended to improve how the Government manages finances, assets, inventory and suppliers and replaces the increasingly unsupported Supply Jersey and JD Edwards technologies.
However, the switch has caused numerous "teething issues", most notably regarding Connect Finance which hindered the Government's ability to pay invoices and caused Treasury Minister Ian Gorst to ask suppliers for "patience" while it tackled the IT problems.
Pictured: The Integrated Technology Solution (ITS) was a project to replace the Government's disparate finance, HR, inventory and asset management, health and safety and supplier systems, and move them onto cloud-based technology.
When the system change came into force at the end of last year, around 8,000 outstanding payments totalling £22 million were discovered by the government.
The changes also meant that some parents of new pupils who had previously been sent a direct debit form for their school fees needed to complete a new form before the start of the academic year.
Alongside these financial problems, it has now also emerged that resources had to be diverted from other areas to prioritise issues arising from the implementation of Connect Finance.
The Government has confirmed that this had resulted in a delay in the publication of the report on the use of consultants for the second half of 2022, as well as a delay in reporting details of Ministerial travel and expenses.
The details of Ministerial travel and expenses are now expected to be released by mid-May, and the report on the use of consultants in the second half of 2022 is due by the end of June.
Pictured: The Comptroller and Auditor General, Lynn Pamment.
The Integrated Technology Solution (ITS) was initially earmarked to cost £28m in the 2020-23 Government Plan, which increased to £40m in the 2021-24 plan, and then £62.5m in the next one.
In a report published last week, the Government's spending watchdog – Comptroller and Auditor General Lynn Pamment – found that "many of the financial benefits" that the new £63m system promised will be delayed, or won't be delivered at all.
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