IT issues ‘threaten Christmas pay for States staff’ – deputy

Heidi Soulsby warned of the potential failure of the last payroll before Christmas during a series of questions to the current members of Policy & Resources about the States’ IT system crash, which happened at the end of November.

The States website and several IT functions had to be switched off after an air conditioning system – and its backup system – failed in the main server room at Frossard House.

Some systems had been restored by the beginning of this week, but another crash meant States members were again discussing the issue in the absence of any operational IT systems.

• Listen: Simon De La Rue and Chloe Presland round up debate on the first day of the States' December meeting

Deputy Soulsby said a full report into the problems was needed.

‘The reputational damage caused, and the fact two-and-a-half weeks have passed and teachers are still not able to send emails or record pupil attendance, and there are concerns that the States’ payroll will not be ready to run on Friday, this demonstrates exactly why an independent report is required,’ she said.

Chief Minister Peter Ferbrache said there was no attempt to hide anything.

He explained that the States’ contracted IT provider, Agilysis, was not responsible for maintaining the climate control in the server room.

Deputy Soulsby’s follow up question about who did have that responsibility was ruled out of order by Bailiff Richard McMahon.

Deputy Gavin St Pier wanted to know whether ‘the consequential losses of the failure’ would have to be met by the taxpayer, rather than Agilysis, but this was also ruled out of order in the same way.

These denials arose out of the narrow focus of questioning during the States’ question time, which stipulates that supplementary questions are meant to arise out of the answer to the original question.

Deputy Ferbrache re-stated his own dismay at the IT failure and assured members that a multi-disciplinary report would investigate what had happened and why.

However, he also gave a reassurance that no data had been lost.

Explaining the latest outage, he said he had been told by senior staff at the States that this occurred when the system was switched back on at 3.30pm on Tuesday.

Engineers had estimated a success rate of 99.7% but it had nevertheless failed, causing many systems – including those used by schools – to fall over.

‘All hands have been to the pump,’ Deputy Ferbrache said.

‘Everybody’s working hard to

restore the systems as best they can.’

The States websites were back online by lunchtime yesterday.