Fujitsu Bristol City Council contract needs 'urgent scrutiny'

Despite the scandal, the council signed a deal early last year making Fujitsu its "digital strategic partner"

A Fujitsu contract with a council needs "urgent public scrutiny", a councillor has said.

Last year, Bristol City Council paid the IT firm caught up in the Post Office scandal almost £900,000, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

Despite that, the council signed a deal early last year making Fujitsu its "digital strategic partner".

Opposition councillors are now raising questions about how this deal was made.

During a full council meeting on Tuesday, Green councillor David Wilcox said: "Allegedly, the contract is only worth £118,000 over five years, below the threshold of £500,000 for public cabinet decisions.

"Imagine my surprise after examining the council's published spending spreadsheet of transactions over £500 for the past 12 months, where it appears that Bristol City Council has paid Fujitsu Services Ltd £897,539.63. This contract needs urgent public scrutiny."

He added potential questions would include the "technical competency" of the IT firm, as well as "rewarding failure with success".

The IT firm has previously apologised for its role in the sub-postmasters' suffering.

'Extremely concerning'

Spending data, published online, shows Bristol City council paid Fujitsu paid £897,537 in total in 2023, in regular payments throughout the year.

Knowle Community Party councillor Gary Hopkins added: "It's extremely concerning. That organisation has shown itself to be very dangerous to deal with, and this authority has gone into sizeable contracts - apparently without warning people who should be warned about it."

The council published a contract notice in February last year, announcing a £25m deal lasting for five years.

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Fujitsu is expected to become the sole supplier for the council's computer systems.

Earlier this month, a council spokesperson told reporters that the only commitment to council funds was £188,000 annually over five years.

They added that the IT firm was "a clear winner in a fair and rigorous procurement process".

Thirty-eight other companies also had the opportunity to bid for the contract, which will be subject to performance monitoring.