The Waikato Regional Council has successfully realised its long-held vision of a smart, integrated platform by implementing Infor CloudSuite Public Sector. This implementation replaces 28 outdated legacy systems with a cloud-based solution designed specifically for the sector. It comes as the result of the extensive "Project Reboot", which aimed to refine and improve the council's processes in areas such as financial management, planning, human resources and property rates.
The industry cloud company, Infor, announced the completion of the Waikato Regional Council implementation of the Infor CloudSuite Public Sector. Set to offer positive outcomes for both stakeholders and the wider community, this signals the council's first step towards long-term digital modernisation and innovation.
The New Zealand local government entity initially selected Infor for Project Reboot with the aim of replacing 28 separate on-premise software systems. The cloud-based Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) solution - Infor CloudSuite Public Sector, is a substantial part of this multi-year, multi-phase project, encompassing aspects such as financial management and budgeting, planning, human resources, property and rates, and more.
Project Reboot began in May 2019 and set out to replace the ageing and incompatible software systems the council had been using. "These software systems didn't 'speak' to each other, were costly to maintain and required more than a band-aid fix," said Janine Becker, Director of Finance and Business Services at Waikato Regional Council.
She continued: "While changes of this scale will naturally take time to settle into the organisation, we're already addressing some key business risks and establishing technologies and business processes that our council will continue to use and optimise over time."
Becker also highlighted the successful partnership with Infor and the involvement of the Waikato Council in the development process. "We've seen Infor's practices evolve and continue to work towards understanding and delivering customer needs. That, along with a chance to influence future solutions, is a huge bonus for our innovation programme now and in the years to come," she noted.
Infor is recognised for its role as a reliable cloud provider for utilities and government agencies across the globe. Beyond the Waikato Regional Council, Infor also serves as the system of record for New Zealand's water reform programme and pairs with its largest water authority, Watercare. Infor counts six Australian water corporations among its customers, along with the leading U.S. water authority, Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District.
The ambitious Project Reboot sought to amalgamate numerous legacy systems that didn't interact well. Terry Smagh, Senior Vice President and General Manager for Asia Pacific and Japan at Infor, said: "We're proud to have successfully delivered an industry-specific, cloud-based solution that will have a tangible, positive impact on Waikato Regional Council for generations to come and future-proof its investments."
He added: "With Infor CloudSuite Public Sector, Waikato Regional Council can achieve continuous improvements across the organisation and enhance internal and external processes to meet business outcomes with operational excellence as a key theme."
Waikato Regional Council services a population of more than half a million in New Zealand, covering a diverse range of regional scale operations that include natural resource management, regional transport planning, biodiversity protection, pest control, water user safety, flood protection, pollution response and coordinating civil defence emergencies.