A major investment in the Yarra City Council's IT will replace several end-of-life systems with a multi-million-dollar enterprise resource planning (ERP) system, improving the quality and efficiency of its service to residents and customers.  

These efficiencies, along with savings and avoided costs in license fees and upgrades should also provide long-term budget savings. 

“We represent arguably the most tech savvy municipality in Melbourne, and yet we continue to use a whole heap of IT systems that don’t talk to each other and are at the end of their useful life” said Yarra City Council Mayor, Stephen Jolly.  

“In short, it was crucial that this Council invested in a single system that provides our community with a faster and more efficient service – one that makes it easier for residents to report issues, as well as provide savings over the long-term that can then be invested in community services.” 

Yarra City Council’s core IT systems will be replaced by a single ERP system that will not only address risks associated with end-of-life systems but will deliver a significant uplift in customer experience.  

Benefits of the ERP investment include: 

• Faster Responses: By automating and streamlining operations, customer requests will be handled more quickly. For example, if applying for a permit or request public records, the process will be faster and more accurate; and for local businesses, streamlining processes like business licensing and permit applications, will help create a more business-friendly environment. 

• More efficient Issue Resolution: With better coordination between different council departments, inquiries and issues will be resolved more efficiently with less waiting time and fewer follow-ups. 

• Enhanced Community Engagement: The integrated solution allows for better communication and engagement with community members through flexible, streamlined communication tools. 

“This will be a system that can be delivered and accessed any time, on any device, from anywhere connected to the internet,” Mayor Jolly said. 

Productivity benefits will be realised throughout the organisation through simplified processes, integration between key systems and data sets, and an enhanced capabilities to meet future business requirements, such as changes in legislation or business practices.  

Over time, the ERP’s ability to capture and interpret information should also benefit residents and businesses, through policy decisions that are based on real-life data, provided in real time. 

“We’re committed to be both an organisation that embraces the future, and one that can make a real difference to our community,” Mayor Jolly said.  

“A new ERP system will provide us with more complete data and the tools to interpret it, that will allow for more informed Council decisions that should benefit the entire Yarra community.”