Purpose

Officers are seeking an exemption from
procurement regulations to permit a direct award. The council
currently utilises the ITrent system for its broader HR functions;
therefore, acquiring additional modules from the same provider
ensures effective and efficient integration. Procuring modules from
an alternative supplier could result in interoperability challenges
and necessitate further staff training. Furthermore, this approach
provides clear value for money, as it enhances our existing system
within an established partnership. This avoids the substantial
setup and onboarding expenses typically associated with
implementing standalone solutions through separate procurement
processes.
On 31st August 2023, a decision was made to authorise officers to
award the contract to MHR iTrent as the replacement for the joint
HR and Payroll System, for a term of four years (3 + 1), following
the recent procurement exercise.
The report references a flexible approach that allows Tendring
District Council (TDC) to implement and use any additional
module(s) according to their own timetable and requirements.
It was then noted that there is a need to enhance operational
efficiency by implementing the Rostering and Paid Time modules
within iTrent, a system already utilised for HR and payroll
functions. This initiative aims to modernise workforce management
with particular services, by streamlining processes and reducing
manual workloads ahead of LGR.
A scoping exercise was conducted, under the previous officer
decision published 10.06.2025. The scoping exercise was to
determine the build and implementation cost. The total one-time
cost for implementation and configuration is £30,961.84. This
is then followed by an annual cost of £648 per year, and
Grosvenor Clocks, 4 Services Subs £319.20 per year for the
length of the contract. It is believed that proceeding with this
module purchase will be advantageous for the organisation.

Content

A.The Portfolio Holder for Finance &
Governance approves a procurement exemption to permit entering into
a direct award with MHR ITrent for the provision of rostering, paid
time, and Grosvenor Clocks modules for £30,961.84. This is a
one-time expense and is costed under the G Cloud Framework.
B.Subject to the above, The Portfolio Holder for Finance &
Governance approves a procurement exemption to permit entering into
an annual subscription of £967.20.
C.Subject to A and B, officers will enter into a contract variation
for the following modules: rostering, paid time, and Grosvenor
Clocks under the G-Cloud Framework, following the 4-year (3+1)
contract term.
D.Officers will work with MHR ITrent and will proceed with the
configuration and implementation of rostering and paid time.
E.Officers will fund these above amounts from Revenue budget, as
approved at Full Council in February 2025 as part of the General
Fund budget (General Fund Budget and Council Tax report –
2025/26).

Alternative options considered

The implementation of the iTrent Rostering and
Paid Time modules will support Tendring District Council’s
preparations for Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) by ensuring
that workforce management processes are modern, standardised, and
scalable ahead of any transition to a new authority-wide operating
model.
As LGR will require the harmonisation of systems, data, and
operational practices across multiple teams, the move to an
integrated rostering and paid time solution enables Tendring to
significantly improve data quality, accuracy, and consistency at an
early stage. By centralising all rostering and attendance
information within iTrent, the Council will reduce reliance on
manual processes and dual entry, strengthening the integrity of
workforce records and ensuring they are suitable for future
migration into a larger, consolidated organisation.
Implementing this system now will also reduce operational pressure
during the reorganisation period, freeing up staff time and
building resilience by automating administrative tasks that
currently depend on individual officers.
The system’s scalability means it can effectively support a
larger workforce footprint under a new authority, and it provides a
replicable model of good practice that can be extended across
services. In addition to supporting LGR objectives, the
implementation will deliver significant organisational benefits,
including improved operational efficiency, reduced human error, and
more accurate payroll processing through full integration with the
existing iTrent HR and payroll modules.
Real-time workforce data will strengthen decision making, improve
compliance, and offer better visibility of staffing and operational
needs. The approach delivers strong value for money through a
modest one time configuration cost and low annual subscription,
aligned with the existing G Cloud contract arrangements.
Overall, the system modernises workforce management, enhances
governance, and ensures the Council is well-positioned, both
operationally and strategically, for the forthcoming Local
Government Reorganisation.