Norwich City Council has officially scrapped a major IT upgrade after years of delays, technical setbacks, and mounting frustration. The project, designed to replace the council’s existing workflow management system, has now been abandoned following a mutual agreement with the software provider, Civica.
A compensation settlement has been reached between the council and Civica, though the exact figure remains undisclosed due to commercial confidentiality agreements. An internal message to councillors described the outcome as a “satisfactory agreement on project costs.”
Years of Delays and Technical Issues
The upgrade aimed to move the council’s operations — including housing, benefits, council tax, business rates, and revenues — to a cloud-based platform. The new system, known as W3, was intended to replace the current desktop-based Civica system, W2/Digital360. Initially scheduled for completion in 2023, the W3 rollout was postponed five times before finally being suspended and then terminated.
Internal progress reports revealed persistent technical difficulties and data migration problems. One report noted, “The system has had stability issues… whilst issues have been fixed, other issues appear.” These reports were obtained through a Freedom of Information request.
In April, the council confirmed that the project had been put on hold. Now, after months of review, both the council and Civica have agreed not to proceed further with W3.
No Immediate Impact on Services
The council has confirmed that its existing W2 system will continue to be used and is still fully supported by Civica. Staff will not experience any operational changes, and services are expected to continue without interruption.
Despite the project’s failure, Civica will maintain its broader relationship with the council, continuing to provide other IT services. Both parties emphasized their long-standing partnership, which dates back to 2002, in a joint statement.
Political Fallout
The project’s collapse has sparked political criticism, particularly from opposition councillors. Green Party councillor Alex Catt called the outcome “shocking, but no surprise,” and took aim at what he described as a “culture of secrecy” within the council.
He also linked the handling of the project to other recent controversies, including the financial troubles of Lion Homes — a council-owned housing developer — and overspending on temporary agency staff.
“The failure to disclose the compensation amount only adds to concerns about transparency and leadership,” Catt said.
The city council is currently under Labour control.
Conclusion
While the decision to abandon the W3 upgrade avoids further cost overruns and technical risk, it leaves the council continuing to rely on its older W2 system. The failed upgrade highlights the complexities and risks involved in large-scale digital transformation projects within local government.
For now, Norwich City Council will continue its long-standing partnership with Civica — but without the cloud-based ambitions that once promised a modernized IT future.
