Dudley Council’s watchdog committee has been assured that staff will receive their wages on time even as a new Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system is set to be introduced next year. The council’s Core Business Scrutiny Committee received an update on 23 July regarding the development of the ERP, which aims to integrate HR, payroll and finance functions into a single system to enhance efficiency.
Currently being designed by the transformation consultancy Embridge, the ERP system is scheduled to go live on 1 September 2027. Concerns were raised during the meeting about contingency plans should the rollout not meet its deadlines, particularly regarding the payroll system’s reliability.
Councillor Qasim Mughal questioned senior officer Andrew Simmons, who is overseeing the ERP implementation, about measures in place if the transition faces delays. “You mentioned you are fairly confident that you’ll meet those deadlines, my main thing is about payroll,” Cllr Mughal stated. “You said you had three months where you are going to do, effectively, a dummy run, is there a backup? Say those timelines don’t go ahead, the contract of the current payroll ends and we are not ready, do we have a contingency in place? We don’t want employees not being paid, that’s going to be disastrous.”
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In response, Mr Simmons explained that the system’s implementation includes a standard three-month period to ensure the new system replicates the existing payroll processes accurately. He also mentioned a potential ‘firebreak’ period that could extend the implementation timeline if necessary, adding an additional safety net.
Council Chief Executive Balvinder Heran highlighted the existence of backup systems designed to handle any unexpected outages, reinforcing the council’s commitment to uninterrupted payroll services.
The new system is projected to increase operating costs by approximately £100,000 annually, prompting councillors to examine value for money. Cllr Steve Clark, cabinet member for finance, emphasised the importance of the upgrade. “We haven’t updated the system in 10 or 15 years; this is the right thing to do and the right time to do it. It can be delivered on time and on budget.”
Ms Heran further noted that such technological improvements will help relieve stretched resources within the council. “By freeing up capacity it means officers in the frontline teams have got more capacity to support residents,” she said, recognising the broader impact beyond administrative efficiency.
This latest discussion follows ongoing efforts by Dudley Council to modernise its services and ensure reliable support for its staff and residents alike.