Fermanagh and Omagh District Council must pay over half a million pounds to merge their existing ICT systems, thereby exerting “significant pressure” on the Shadow Council’s budget.

The Shadow Council has eight months to put in place a single ICT system across the new district council area to ensure a “seamless transition” on April 1, 2015.

A team of consultants was hired to analyse the ICT systems currently being used in the two separate Councils, which are essential for payroll, creditor payment and sharing information in each Council area.

The consultants concluded that “it will not be possible for Omagh District Council and Fermanagh District Council to successfully converge based on the capability and capacity of the existing equipment and infrastructure without significant investment taking place.” They warned: “Without a converged, harmonised and common approach, the new Fermanagh and Omagh District Council will not be able to operate on 1 April 2015.” The Shadow Council predicts that converging the two systems will cost £641,500. It hopes to borrow £486,000 from the Department of Finance and Personnel (DFP) as soon as possible and to pay that off over 24 months (at an interest rate of 1.72 per cent).

At a Policy and Resources Committee meeting on August 1, Councillors were told that funding is available from Department of the Environment (DoE) to cover borrowing costs, but the exact amount is unknown.

The Shadow Council has sent an ICT convergence business case to DOE asking for funding and for further clarity from the department as to what will be covered.

Fermanagh and Omagh District Council would pay the remaining £155,500.