The External Services and Providers Monitoring Group met on Tuesday 26 May 2026 to review the performance of the CGI contract for the first quarter of 2026. Key discussions included the successful turnaround of the change request process, updates on various IT projects, and ongoing community and recruitment initiatives. The group was satisfied with the information provided regarding CGI's contract performance.

CGI Contract Performance

The meeting focused on the performance of the CGI contract for the first quarter of 2026, ending March 31st. A significant achievement highlighted was the turnaround of the change request process, which had previously been a failing Key Performance Indicator (KPI) for several years. CGI, in collaboration with the council, implemented revised processes and reporting, leading to the achievement of the KPI in both February and March. This has resulted in the clearance of a backlog of over 40 aged requests. The contractual KPI timeframe for change requests was adjusted from 10 to 15 days with council agreement, a change welcomed by councillors for setting clear expectations.

Councillor Elaine Thornton-Nicol expressed her delight, stating, I just want to say a huge thank you to hear the update today, to hear that there's no backlog? I'm thrilled to bits and I'm seriously impressed.

Project Updates

Numerous IT projects were discussed, with their RAG (Red, Amber, Green) status indicating their progress.

• Office 365 Close: This project remains RAG Red due to legacy delays, with an expected completion date of October 2026. While 27 out of 32 migrations are complete, technical issues have been encountered and overcome.
• Comino Upgrade to Cloud: This project is RAG Amber and on hold, pending a response from the third-party vendor, CIVICA, regarding perceived functional gaps in the product.
• Uniform Hosted Solution: This project is RAG Blue (completed), with decommissioning RAG Red due to one remaining server dependent on the Office 365 close.
• Business World to Cloud: This project is RAG Red due to legacy delays, with an expected completion of June 2026. The BACS interface migration is complete, and final closedown tasks are in progress, with an outstanding security risk being addressed.
• Evotix for Protective Services: This project is RAG Green, with completion expected in May 2026. All testing is complete, and customer sign-off is pending.
• Adelante Smart Pay: This project is RAG Green, with go-live completed in April and acceptance into business as usual service expected in June 2026.
• CAMS Upgrade: This project is RAG Green, with work commencing on the high-level design and an expected completion of September 2026.
• NEC Housing (Jasper): This project is RAG Blue, with a live upgrade completed successfully on March 18th.
• Bartec/JADU Integration: This project is RAG Green, with a kick-off in April and an expected completion of September 2026.
• Lync to Teams Migration: This project is RAG Blue, marking the final completion of an original transformation project.
• Corporate Autodesk: This project is RAG Amber, with a majority of upgrades completed, but eight users outstanding.
• CR481 CCTV Solution: This project is RAG Blue, considered completed with the original scope and an additional ten cameras deployed.
• CR349.136 Curricular Refresh: This project is RAG Amber, with an expected completion of March 2027.
• School Telephony: This project is RAG Green, with 65 out of 66 schools deployed and positive user feedback.

Councillor James Anderson raised a point about transparency regarding project completion dates: For transparency for anybody looking at this information from a public perspective, could we have the original dates on the report so people can see the difference? He also requested a list of benefits for the Office 365 closure project. CGI representatives agreed to take these requests away.

Councillor Anderson also raised a concern about a random glitch with the school telephony system, where an automated voice interrupts the welcome message. CGI committed to investigating this as a technical incident.

Currency Projects

Several currency projects, focused on maintaining the up-to-dateness of IT infrastructure, were also discussed. These included Backup Refresh, EFM Circuits, VMWare/HyperV Upgrade, Pulsant Switch Replacement, Exchange Upgrade, and Storage Remediation. While some were RAG Amber due to design clarifications or procurement delays, overall progress was reported as good.

Councillor John Greenwell inquired about an incident at a community centre where Wi-Fi was reportedly switched off, with allegations that CGI was responsible. CGI acknowledged awareness of the issue, describing it as a complex dependency issue between different buildings on the site and assured the group it would be resolved.

Service Delivery

Service delivery was reported as reliable and stable, with no KPI failures on live service. Key successes included the opening of Peebles High School, the near-complete rollout of the new school telephony system, the elimination of the change backlog, and the exceeding of a new KPI trial in February and March. An ongoing issue with KPI 25 (IA Production) remaining below contractual targets was noted, along with the need to redevelop and roll out a new finance model.

Councillor James Anderson questioned the reported zero complaints, suggesting it might appear false. CGI clarified that these were formal complaints logged through a defined process, and that customer satisfaction levels, gathered through feedback on service desk interactions, were very high, with over 95% positive feedback. They agreed to include reporting on customer satisfaction levels in future updates to provide more context.

Community Benefits and Recruitment

CGI highlighted their community engagement activities, including sponsorships of local sports kits and upcoming award ceremonies. They also mentioned ongoing office lunches and plans for a Tweedbank litter pick.

Concerns were raised by Councillor Elaine Thornton-Nicol and Councillor James Anderson regarding the geographical spread of sponsorships, noting a predominance of activities in the Melrose area. CGI acknowledged this feedback and committed to widening their outreach and ensuring better communication to elected members about sponsorship opportunities.

Recruitment efforts were also detailed, with CGI employing 59 members in the Borders region and an average of 80-110 members working on Borders activity. Three apprentices from the region are undertaking early careers programmes alongside their degrees. CGI is planning quarterly recruitment and social value events in collaboration with the council, with initial engagement with school pupils receiving positive feedback. Councillor Carol Hamilton inquired about the types of apprenticeships offered, and CGI confirmed they offer modern apprenticeships and graduate apprenticeships, agreeing to provide more detailed information on these in future.

Finally, CGI showcased new branding at their Tweedbank office, with Councillor Euan Jardine and Councillor Carol Hamilton raising points about the visibility of CGI's presence in the Borders and the number of employees utilising the Tweedbank office. CGI committed to investigating these points further.