The Digital Services Committee was scheduled to discuss a range of topics, including updates on Programme Sapphire, door access control systems, enterprise architecture, and the digital, data, and technology strategy. The committee was also expected to review revenue budgets for 2025/26 and draft estimates for 2026/27.

Revenue Budgets 2025/26 and Draft Estimate 2026/27

The committee was asked to note the approved budget for 2025/26 and approve the draft estimate for 2026/27, for submission to the Finance Committee. The 2025/26 budget is £8.854 million, a net increase of £250,000 from the original £8.604 million.

The draft estimate for 2026/27 was prepared in line with the Resource Allocation Sub Committee guidelines, with net expenditure set at £9.062 million, an increase of £458,000 compared to the original budget for 2025/26.

Programme Sapphire (ERP) Update

The Digital Services Committee was scheduled to receive an update on Programme Sapphire, the City of London Corporation's project to replace legacy HR and finance systems with a modern Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) solution¹. The report outlined the current status of the programme's three waves:

• Wave 1 (Learning Management, Performance & Goals, Recruitment) was reported as complete.
• Wave 2 (Core HR & Payroll) was flagged as at risk due to data challenges.
• Wave 3 (Finance & Budget Management) was also considered at risk, with user acceptance testing set for mid-November.

The committee was asked to approve scoping work for a new HR Service Management tool called Employee Service Management (ESM). The report mentioned that there was commitment to implement ECSC (Employee Central Service Centre) for go-live, and that no use of costed risk provision was expected at this time.

The committee was also asked to note the approval of Change Control 07: Artificial Intelligence (AI) for SuccessFactors, aligned to the Corporation AI Policy, and Change Control 08: Integration with MS Teams / Mobile Access.

The report also detailed HR roadshows scheduled to take place across various City of London sites, including Manor Park Cemetery & Crematorium, Tower Bridge, and the Guildhall School of Music & Drama.

Door Access Control Systems (DACS) – System Convergence

The committee was scheduled to discuss a proposal to merge Door Access Control Systems (DACS) across the City of London Corporation and its institutions, integrating them with the new Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system and Microsoft 365 (M365). The aim of this initiative is to improve operational efficiency, security, and emergency preparedness.

The report outlined three options:

• Option A: Maintain the status quo with separate DACS systems.
• Option B: Partial integration of DACS with either ERP or M365.
• Option C: Full integration, merging all DACS and integrating with both ERP and M365 platforms.

The report stated that option C was the recommended option.

Enterprise Architecture Delivery and the Conceptual Future Technology Landscape

The Digital Services Committee was to consider a report setting out the strategic technology direction required to deliver the Corporate Plan 2024–2029 and related strategies. The report presented a conceptual target landscape that consolidates channels, data, and core platforms into a unified, secure architecture.

The report highlighted that the technology estate is fragmented, with multiple content platforms, point-to-point integrations, and overlapping case/service tools. It presented three options:

• Option A: Status quo with tactical fixes only.
• Option B: Local optimisations by directorate.
• Option C: Unified Enterprise Enablement.

The report stated that Option C was the recommended option.

The committee was asked to endorse the proposed approach for designing the Corporation's future technology estate and to agree to participate in a series of workshops to confirm priorities, scope, and sequencing for the next phase of work.

Digital, Data & Technology Strategy Update

The committee was scheduled to receive an update on the activities undertaken over the past year across the City of London Corporation and its institutions under the Shared Digital, Data & Technology (DDaT) Strategy. The strategy has five key outcomes:

• Deliver brilliant basics
• Technology convergence where possible
• Become data driven to improve decisions
• Transform services through responsible use of automation & AI
• Develop digital skills & share expertise

The report highlighted achievements such as a reduction in WiFi dropouts, the establishment of Tech Support Desks, and the completion of a comprehensive refresh of devices to Windows 11. It also noted cost savings achieved through server estate optimisation and the migration off legacy on-premise servers.

Digital, AI, Automation and Data Lighthouse Update

The Digital Services Committee was to receive an overview of the Digital Solutions Team and its key projects, including the Data Lighthouse Project, which seeks to implement Dynamics Customer Insights as the corporate customer relationship management (CRM) tool for digital marketing and online events management.

The report noted that the Digital Solutions Team had delivered benefits including over £34,700 (1,443 hours) of staff time saved, and income generation of over £1,621,300.

Corporate Data Platform Progress Report

The committee was scheduled to receive an update on the progress of implementing the Corporate Data Platform, which leverages Microsoft Fabric to improve the organisation's data management and analytical capabilities.

The report noted that as of September 2025, there were 24 data sources mapped to Fabric, with 58 reports and dashboards created. It also highlighted the challenges in recruiting skilled personnel to the Data Team.