The 3yr Conundrum
With ESS’ recent bombshell of tearing up the agreements schools and LA’s have known for years and replacing it with a mandatory 3-year term, those on the sharp end have been mulling over what to do next. We’ve been receiving record levels of enquiries about our MIS & Finance products, because let’s not forget, a lot of these contracts are connected to FMS.
From an LA perspective, the decision isn’t a straightforward one. It involves a fundamental change in arrangements and accountability. There is a huge amount of confusion as to whether it’s appropriate for an LA to accept these new terms, and we have seen several instances where schools have been advised not to sign up until the Authority has a chance to work through it with their legal team.
Avoid working in silos
As an LA, it’s worth knowing that you are not alone in this conundrum. Although each region has its own challenges, there are many Authorities that are trying to navigate this situation and there’s plenty that can be shared. If you find yourself with a range of questions that only another LA could answer, reach out to us at Bromcom, as we can put you in touch with other Local Authorities that might be further down the path.
Although the clock is ticking, there’s still time to weigh up your options and make a decision that’s right for your authority. The difficulty in this situation is that holding fire may inadvertently mean that the decision is made for you.
How we can help as an MIS supplier
As always, we can share our experiences on working with LA’s in tight timescales and talk you through the alternative options from an MIS supplier perspective. There are numerous frameworks in place to help expedite procurement and as the first ever SIMS integration partner, we can migrate data with ease.
We offer a wide range of partnership options and can highlight what’s been successful in other regions. This may be extraordinary circumstances, but it’s also a great opportunity to review the situation and assess whether it’s the right solution moving forward.
