Council's £1m worth of laptops unused in storage "farce" (From South Wales Argus)

Torfaen council has 2,400 laptops sat in storage

10:00am Friday 2nd November 2012 in News Photograph of the Author By David Deans - Politics reporter

A GWENT council has admitted that more than 2,400 laptops worth £1 million have been sitting in storage for longer than a year while a solution is found for what to do with them.

Torfaen council bought 8,642 laptops in March 2011 for itself and Monmouthshire council for 14-16 year old school pupils and their teachers, as part of a Welsh Government-backed scheme worth more than £11 million.

While 6,218 laptops have been deployed in schools, a total of 2,424 were set aside for a third local authority to take them on.

But negotiations to find another authority to do so have proved fruitless.

The warranties of the HP laptops, purchased by Torfaen council in March 2011, have now expired, although Torfaen council says the laptops remain fit for purpose.

One AM has dubbed the situation a "farce".

According to Torfaen council the first phase of the iLearnWales project, funded by a £9.8 million grant from the Welsh Government and a £2.28 million contribution from the two councils, was meant to have involved three Welsh councils.

It appears that Newport council was involved in discussions on the project, but a Newport council spokeswoman said the authority never made any formal commitment to it.

The authority, she said, had decided there would be limited benefit to the city from the project.

"The council had no involvement in the procurement of the 8,600 laptops undertaken by Torfaen," she added.

Despite negotiations with several councils a replacement partner has not been found, according to a joint statement from Torfaen and Monmouthshire council.

Torfaen council cabinet member Councillor Mary Barnett said discussions with the Welsh Government over a solution to the surplus laptops are "constructive and near conclusion".

The iLearnWales scheme is billed as a digital learning system, providing parents and teachers with 24/7 online access to education resources such as lessons, coursework and classroom materials.

As well as providing access to laptops for all KS4 learners and teachers, the scheme includes a data hall and ICT infrastructure to support it.

A PLAID Cymru AM called the situation a "farce" and compared it to the exploits of Derek "Del-Boy" Trotter.

Lindsay Whittle, South Wales East AM, said it was a scandalous waste of public money to buy the laptops and just store them.

"Why wasn't a third authority on board? Don't buy them if you don't have customers," he said.

"It's a farce. It's a Del-Boy farce."

The Welsh Government spokeswoman said: "The Welsh Government has been working closely with Torfaen council and Monmouthshire council to ensure that public funds are being used appropriately."

The story was uncovered following a Freedom of Information request made by www.channelweb.co.uk technology news website.

Comments(36)

33daverave says...
10:13am Fri 2 Nov 12

......and I bet the idiot who oversaw this is still in a job.After all ,it`s only taxpayers money.

Report this post »

Dai the Milk says...
10:40am Fri 2 Nov 12

Welsh and local 'government' at its best..............an
d this is a time of austerity measures. It's frightening that some people actually contemplate a Welsh-assembly governed Wales. This is YOUR money!!!!

Report this post »

ccc49 says...
10:40am Fri 2 Nov 12

It is my understandingnthatnN
ewport teachers are denied access to this WAG project and as a result have to resort to using their own computers. Interesting that NCC were involved in the discussions but couldn'tt commit to it. Why?

Surely it makes economical and common sense to offer them to Newport teachers who could put them to good use

Report this post »

Doberman1 says...
10:46am Fri 2 Nov 12

What a farce and I would bet the clowns responsible are still in position and working on the next project to waste taxpayers money, all the while protecting their pensions. No accountability whatsoever. They would not last 5 minutes in the private sector.

Report this post »

real comment says...
10:57am Fri 2 Nov 12

REGARDING THE COMMENT ABOUT THE LAPTOP WARRANTIES ARE OUT OF DATE. THIS IS NOT SO.
UNDER THE 1979 SALES OF GOODS ACT. ITEMS ARE COVERED FOR UP TO 6 YEARS.
GO TO THE COUNCILS TRADING STANDARDS OFFICE THEY WILL CONFIRM THIS TO BE SO

Report this post »

33daverave says...
11:02am Fri 2 Nov 12

real comment wrote:
REGARDING THE COMMENT ABOUT THE LAPTOP WARRANTIES ARE OUT OF DATE. THIS IS NOT SO.
UNDER THE 1979 SALES OF GOODS ACT. ITEMS ARE COVERED FOR UP TO 6 YEARS.
GO TO THE COUNCILS TRADING STANDARDS OFFICE THEY WILL CONFIRM THIS TO BE SO

Do they still have Trading Standards ?

Not in Newport.

Report this post »

despicableme says...
11:36am Fri 2 Nov 12

You could not script this kind of stuff

Report this post »

b3talover says...
11:43am Fri 2 Nov 12

Give them to local schools!

Report this post »

spanner100 says...
11:51am Fri 2 Nov 12

What a typical disgrace!! As a Torfaen Community Charge payer I am sick and tired of the way in which my very hard earned cash is being wasted. Come on BOB WELLINGTON, as Leader of the Council get off your "Backside" and do something constructive to recover the TAX PAYERS money!!.

Report this post »

smallfish says...
12:00pm Fri 2 Nov 12

Lets have them in schools and being used , instead of collecting dust. they should be used now not stored any longer.

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Dai the Milk says...
12:43pm Fri 2 Nov 12

The more I think about it, this is an appalling mismanagement of public (taxpayers') money. If it takes officials this long to make decisions about a laptop, what are they like making important decisions that really affect people's lives? As Doberman1 says, if this was the private sector they wouldn't last 5 minutes....in fact, had this been a small business it would have gone bust. Computer technology moves so fast as well that 4 GB memory this year becomes 8GB next year so their efficiency diminishes too. Will anyone be held to account for this mess? Don't hold your breath.

Report this post »

Dai the Milk says...
12:58pm Fri 2 Nov 12

Fail to came up with your council tax because you're struggling with fuel bills and these same people threaten you with prison. How can this be allowed to go unpunished?

Report this post »

On the inside says...
1:36pm Fri 2 Nov 12

Dai the Milk wrote:
The more I think about it, this is an appalling mismanagement of public (taxpayers') money. If it takes officials this long to make decisions about a laptop, what are they like making important decisions that really affect people's lives? As Doberman1 says, if this was the private sector they wouldn't last 5 minutes....in fact, had this been a small business it would have gone bust. Computer technology moves so fast as well that 4 GB memory this year becomes 8GB next year so their efficiency diminishes too. Will anyone be held to account for this mess? Don't hold your breath.

Calm down dear.

Clearly you are one of those people who cannot comprehend anything financial that is bigger than the price of a car.

This is a project that has not gone to plan, yet, although the report seems to hold out hope of resolution in the near future.

To put this in context the £1m referred to has about the same effect on the councils annual budget as around £100 would have on a normal household budget. Regrettable, but hardly the sort of of thing that will end life as we know it.

If there is a issue at all, (and even then no call for the sort of widespread panic the Argus clearly wishes to create), then I would ask why anyone buying almost 8,500 laptops could not get a better price than £412 per unit. Of course that is based on the huge assumption that the Argus has got the figures correct.

Report this post »

Kevin Ward - Editor says...
1:48pm Fri 2 Nov 12

No attempt to cause 'widespread panic', just a fair, accurate and balanced report of a matter that is in the public interest.

Report this post »

generalprice says...
1:56pm Fri 2 Nov 12

On the inside wrote:

Dai the Milk wrote:
The more I think about it, this is an appalling mismanagement of public (taxpayers') money. If it takes officials this long to make decisions about a laptop, what are they like making important decisions that really affect people's lives? As Doberman1 says, if this was the private sector they wouldn't last 5 minutes....in fact, had this been a small business it would have gone bust. Computer technology moves so fast as well that 4 GB memory this year becomes 8GB next year so their efficiency diminishes too. Will anyone be held to account for this mess? Don't hold your breath.
Calm down dear.

Clearly you are one of those people who cannot comprehend anything financial that is bigger than the price of a car.

This is a project that has not gone to plan, yet, although the report seems to hold out hope of resolution in the near future.

To put this in context the £1m referred to has about the same effect on the councils annual budget as around £100 would have on a normal household budget. Regrettable, but hardly the sort of of thing that will end life as we know it.

If there is a issue at all, (and even then no call for the sort of widespread panic the Argus clearly wishes to create), then I would ask why anyone buying almost 8,500 laptops could not get a better price than £412 per unit. Of course that is based on the huge assumption that the Argus has got the figures correct.

Or looking at it another way another 20 full time teachers employed for a year! Or maybe some extra street lighting so we don't have to walk around in the dark. Or maybe someone coming to collect my green bin which is full of garden waste but won't be collected during winter.

Let's face it, we don't get to hear of half of the shambles that really go on in these inefficient out-dated places. £412 a piece when buying more than 8,000 laptops - did they just go to Comet in Cwmbran?

No doubt it'll be something to do with that IT officer that was arrested for fraud a few months ago, but hey let's just carry on blindly paying our council tax to these idiots.

Those ultimately responsible will be retiring soon enough on their unsustainable pensions anyway.

[quote][p][bold]On the inside[/bold] wrote: [quote][p][bold]Dai the Milk[/bold] wrote: The more I think about it, this is an appalling mismanagement of public (taxpayers') money. If it takes officials this long to make decisions about a laptop, what are they like making important decisions that really affect people's lives? As Doberman1 says, if this was the private sector they wouldn't last 5 minutes....in fact, had this been a small business it would have gone bust. Computer technology moves so fast as well that 4 GB memory this year becomes 8GB next year so their efficiency diminishes too. Will anyone be held to account for this mess? Don't hold your breath.[/p][/quote]Calm down dear. Clearly you are one of those people who cannot comprehend anything financial that is bigger than the price of a car. This is a project that has not gone to plan, yet, although the report seems to hold out hope of resolution in the near future. To put this in context the £1m referred to has about the same effect on the councils annual budget as around £100 would have on a normal household budget. Regrettable, but hardly the sort of of thing that will end life as we know it. If there is a issue at all, (and even then no call for the sort of widespread panic the Argus clearly wishes to create), then I would ask why anyone buying almost 8,500 laptops could not get a better price than £412 per unit. Of course that is based on the huge assumption that the Argus has got the figures correct.[/p][/quote]Or looking at it another way another 20 full time teachers employed for a year! Or maybe some extra street lighting so we don't have to walk around in the dark. Or maybe someone coming to collect my green bin which is full of garden waste but won't be collected during winter. Let's face it, we don't get to hear of half of the shambles that really go on in these inefficient out-dated places. £412 a piece when buying more than 8,000 laptops - did they just go to Comet in Cwmbran? No doubt it'll be something to do with that IT officer that was arrested for fraud a few months ago, but hey let's just carry on blindly paying our council tax to these idiots. Those ultimately responsible will be retiring soon enough on their unsustainable pensions anyway. generalprice

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Michael Weedall says...
2:01pm Fri 2 Nov 12

TCBC the person/persons who has allowed this waste of money should lose their job and pension should be handed back to TCBC. All things aside what about the need for these in the education system for our local children, schools should of had this equipment as soon as they arrived as they should of been used for the purpose they was purchased not sat in a storage cupboard.

Report this post »

generalprice says...
2:22pm Fri 2 Nov 12

Good luck finding a new partner to come in to pay £1m for 2,400 1-year old laptops.

Maybe give Rodney Trotter a call?

Report this post »

SuperTonic7th says...
2:35pm Fri 2 Nov 12

Torfaen council says they are still fit for purpose. Well, they may still work but after all this time they will be obsolete.

Report this post »

houseofpain says...
2:39pm Fri 2 Nov 12

Don't worry Torfaen independent trading..by this time next year you'll be billionaires !!

Report this post »

Dai the Milk says...
2:51pm Fri 2 Nov 12

On the inside wrote:

Dai the Milk wrote:
The more I think about it, this is an appalling mismanagement of public (taxpayers') money. If it takes officials this long to make decisions about a laptop, what are they like making important decisions that really affect people's lives? As Doberman1 says, if this was the private sector they wouldn't last 5 minutes....in fact, had this been a small business it would have gone bust. Computer technology moves so fast as well that 4 GB memory this year becomes 8GB next year so their efficiency diminishes too. Will anyone be held to account for this mess? Don't hold your breath.
Calm down dear.

Clearly you are one of those people who cannot comprehend anything financial that is bigger than the price of a car.

This is a project that has not gone to plan, yet, although the report seems to hold out hope of resolution in the near future.

To put this in context the £1m referred to has about the same effect on the councils annual budget as around £100 would have on a normal household budget. Regrettable, but hardly the sort of of thing that will end life as we know it.

If there is a issue at all, (and even then no call for the sort of widespread panic the Argus clearly wishes to create), then I would ask why anyone buying almost 8,500 laptops could not get a better price than £412 per unit. Of course that is based on the huge assumption that the Argus has got the figures correct.

On the Inside,

Don't be so patronising......or ignorant of facts. You have no idea about the type of money I have experience of handling......which is why I loathe your type of people who frivolously play games with hard-working people's money. A project not yet gone to plan? Do you know the rate of depreciation on these items? Are you prepared to stump up the taxpayers' money to cover the loss? Widespread panic? Well done to the Argus I say.I wonder how much 'On the Inside' you in fact are!!!

[quote][p][bold]On the inside[/bold] wrote: [quote][p][bold]Dai the Milk[/bold] wrote: The more I think about it, this is an appalling mismanagement of public (taxpayers') money. If it takes officials this long to make decisions about a laptop, what are they like making important decisions that really affect people's lives? As Doberman1 says, if this was the private sector they wouldn't last 5 minutes....in fact, had this been a small business it would have gone bust. Computer technology moves so fast as well that 4 GB memory this year becomes 8GB next year so their efficiency diminishes too. Will anyone be held to account for this mess? Don't hold your breath.[/p][/quote]Calm down dear. Clearly you are one of those people who cannot comprehend anything financial that is bigger than the price of a car. This is a project that has not gone to plan, yet, although the report seems to hold out hope of resolution in the near future. To put this in context the £1m referred to has about the same effect on the councils annual budget as around £100 would have on a normal household budget. Regrettable, but hardly the sort of of thing that will end life as we know it. If there is a issue at all, (and even then no call for the sort of widespread panic the Argus clearly wishes to create), then I would ask why anyone buying almost 8,500 laptops could not get a better price than £412 per unit. Of course that is based on the huge assumption that the Argus has got the figures correct.[/p][/quote]On the Inside, Don't be so patronising......or ignorant of facts. You have no idea about the type of money I have experience of handling......which is why I loathe your type of people who frivolously play games with hard-working people's money. A project not yet gone to plan? Do you know the rate of depreciation on these items? Are you prepared to stump up the taxpayers' money to cover the loss? Widespread panic? Well done to the Argus I say.I wonder how much 'On the Inside' you in fact are!!! Dai the Milk

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arvinda strop says...
3:10pm Fri 2 Nov 12

SuperTonic7th wrote:
Torfaen council says they are still fit for purpose. Well, they may still work but after all this time they will be obsolete.

That is the way of all computors by the time they get on the shelf the replacement model is already out, just
the way the "hi tech" industry work they will be more than able to accomadate anything schools would require, I dont imagine they were bought with gaming in mind.
Put them out for offers on bloc first you dont have to be the brain of britain to sell lap tops.
The person that authorised the afe funding should be charged with selling them with the least loss to the council with the size of afe that was used to purchase that qty of machines the price paid should be close to cost.
As I said simples and may even bring a small profit,

Report this post »

On the inside says...
3:32pm Fri 2 Nov 12

Kevin Ward - Editor wrote:
No attempt to cause 'widespread panic', just a fair, accurate and balanced report of a matter that is in the public interest.

You realy do need to develop a thicker skin.

Report this post »

merlin the silure says...
4:13pm Fri 2 Nov 12

£412 quid each!! ffs-not long ago bought a great Compaq with windows 7 premium for £289
Still I suppose the council purchasing guys/gals are enjoying their holiday in the Maldives.

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Limestonecowboy says...
7:10pm Fri 2 Nov 12

33daverave wrote:

real comment wrote: REGARDING THE COMMENT ABOUT THE LAPTOP WARRANTIES ARE OUT OF DATE. THIS IS NOT SO. UNDER THE 1979 SALES OF GOODS ACT. ITEMS ARE COVERED FOR UP TO 6 YEARS. GO TO THE COUNCILS TRADING STANDARDS OFFICE THEY WILL CONFIRM THIS TO BE SO
Do they still have Trading Standards ? Not in Newport.

No Trading Standards in Newport - what are you talking about??

Report this post »

Bart45 says...
9:02pm Fri 2 Nov 12

It's about time the local press picked up on this. The evidence has been there for long enough.

http://www.channelwe
b.co.uk/crn-uk/news/
2043933/channel-quer
ies-xma-welsh-counci
l-win

http://www.channelwe
b.co.uk/crn-uk/news/
2117383/welsh-counci
l-clears-missing-sch
ool-laptop-rumours

https://www.facebook
.com/groups/25485098
1193739/permalink/38
0722461939923/

One could ask if there is a connection between this debacle and the other 'projects that haven't succeeded, yet' http://www.southwale
sargus.co.uk/archive
/2012/02/13/Latest+N
ews+%28swa_news%29/9
527385.Torfaen_to_pa
y_out___400_000_more
_for_data_centre/

If the money spent is not making a difference to you and I the project has failed.

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CM1 says...
11:00pm Fri 2 Nov 12

OTI, you need to take it, if you plan to give it! It is you who needs to develop a thicker skin.

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chris227 says...
8:02am Sat 3 Nov 12

im glad a rich county like gwent has millions to waste on laptops they don't use and wales in general is so rich and prosperous that they can waste millions on the welsh language that nobody uses

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33daverave says...
9:16am Sat 3 Nov 12

Limestonecowboy wrote:

33daverave wrote:

real comment wrote: REGARDING THE COMMENT ABOUT THE LAPTOP WARRANTIES ARE OUT OF DATE. THIS IS NOT SO. UNDER THE 1979 SALES OF GOODS ACT. ITEMS ARE COVERED FOR UP TO 6 YEARS. GO TO THE COUNCILS TRADING STANDARDS OFFICE THEY WILL CONFIRM THIS TO BE SO
Do they still have Trading Standards ? Not in Newport.
No Trading Standards in Newport - what are you talking about??

I had a problem with Carphone Warehouse and went to Stephenson St.Closed.
A sign said go to Telford St,so off I went ,asked for Trading Standards only to be told it doesn`t exist now and I would have to ring Consumer Direct as the Welsh Govt wanted to centralise the procedure to gather information on problem companies.

Report this post »

chris227 says...
10:20am Sat 3 Nov 12

don't tell me the WAG said it all had to be centralised in CARDIFF and all the other offices around wales had to shut.

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JamieClaire says...
11:47am Sat 3 Nov 12

Very Interesting reading, information is out there.

Spend Matters UK/Europe on 25 October 2011

http://spendmatters.
co.uk/mystery-welsh-
laptops-part-1/

http://spendmatters.
co.uk/mystery-welsh-
laptops-part-2-plot-
thickens/

Report this post »

ghyc60 says...
12:45pm Sat 3 Nov 12

It seems unbelievable this waste of public money goes on while the so called goverment are telling us austerity is working me thinks its time to go back to school!!

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Howie' says...
2:18am Sun 4 Nov 12

33daverave wrote:

Limestonecowboy wrote:

33daverave wrote:

real comment wrote: REGARDING THE COMMENT ABOUT THE LAPTOP WARRANTIES ARE OUT OF DATE. THIS IS NOT SO. UNDER THE 1979 SALES OF GOODS ACT. ITEMS ARE COVERED FOR UP TO 6 YEARS. GO TO THE COUNCILS TRADING STANDARDS OFFICE THEY WILL CONFIRM THIS TO BE SO
Do they still have Trading Standards ? Not in Newport.
No Trading Standards in Newport - what are you talking about??
I had a problem with Carphone Warehouse and went to Stephenson St.Closed.
A sign said go to Telford St,so off I went ,asked for Trading Standards only to be told it doesn`t exist now and I would have to ring Consumer Direct as the Welsh Govt wanted to centralise the procedure to gather information on problem companies.

This address comes up on both the Trading Standards website and the Newport Council Website:

Trading Standards Service
Newport City Council
Telford Depot
Telford Street
Newport
South Wales NP19 0ES
Telephone: (01633) 656656
Email: trading.standards@ne
wport.gov.uk

Report this post »

Independentvoter says...
6:39pm Sun 4 Nov 12

'Absolutely Shocking' Just remember this waste of public money at the next local government elections, especially with all the on-going cuts to Social Services, the Disabled, Pensioners, Meals on Wheels etc, etc. I will.

Report this post »

chris227 says...
10:23pm Sun 4 Nov 12

it is shocking how the people that are employed in the public sector waste money a private sector discipline should be introduced and sackings made.

Report this post »

Bobevans says...
12:17pm Mon 5 Nov 12

Pretty typical of the way councils waste monet. As usual there are post suporting this waste of money

They should not have been purchased until there was a firm contractual commitment

The other insteresting thing is the price they paid. Who pays £4000 for a general purpose Laptop. At very most £800 each could be justified

Council's £1m worth of laptops unused in storage "farce" (From South Wales Argus)

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