The Digital Services Committee approved the DITS Project Fees and Charging Policy and noted the revenue outturn for the 2025/26 financial year. The meeting also received updates on Programme Sapphire, DITS risks, and cyber security.

DITS Project Fees and Charging Policy

The committee approved the DITS Project Fees and Charging Policy, which allows DITS to charge requesting departments for additional project delivery resources when existing capacity is insufficient. This policy aims to ensure that day-to-day IT services are not negatively impacted by project demands. Charges will be on a cost-recovery basis, meaning DITS will not profit from this activity.

During the discussion, a Member raised concerns about approving the policy without seeing fixed rates and the potential for project delays if departments lack budget. Officers explained that charges would reflect the actual cost of each project, as fixed rates are not feasible. They also clarified that for the City of London Police, additional charges would apply if a project's resource requirements exceeded the approximately 35% of shared service resources they fund. Assurance was given that Member oversight is provided through the Projects and Procurement Sub-Committee, with officer oversight via the relevant portfolio board. It was agreed that future financial reporting to the committee would include sums charged to programmes and trend information.

Revenue Outturn 2025/26

The committee received a report detailing the revenue outturn for the 2025/26 financial year. The total net expenditure for the year was £9.282 million, which was a slight overspend of £25,000 (0.3%) compared to the budgeted figure of £9.257 million. This variance was primarily attributed to additional agency staffing and market forces costs, partially offset by recoveries from the City of London Police.

In response to a question about a vacant Network Architect role and any associated risks, officers confirmed that the position was being covered by a contractor and that a permanent appointment had been made, pending vetting completion. The committee resolved to note the revenue outturn for 2025/26.

Programme Sapphire

The Committee considered an update on Programme Sapphire and agreed the proposed approach to the remaining payroll deployments.

Digital Estate Review Recommendations

The Committee received the findings of the Digital Estate Review and discussed future governance, accountability and commissioning arrangements.

DITS Risk Update

The Committee received an update on risks managed by the Digital, Information and Technology Service.

Cyber Security Team Update

The Committee received an update on the work of the Cyber Security Team.

Cyber Security

The Committee received an update from the City of London Police on the cyber threat landscape and resilience activity.