Auditor criticises YJB for high spend on IT project

The YJB secured £7m in funding from the Office of Criminal Justice Reform to design and build a new case management system for youth offending teams (YOTs) between 2008 and 2011, through the Wiring Up Youth Justice programme. The software, which allows YOTs to analyse data on young offenders, replaces systems that had been developed previously by private companies.

But an NAO investigation seen by CYP Now, triggered by concerns raised by campaign group Action on Rights for Children (Arch), has found that the YJB might have achieved better value for money by tendering a contract rather than doing the work itself.

The report states that private software firm CACI offered to develop a new system for £1m. "By not exploring the possibility of using an open tender, the YJB has opened itself up to the risk that the best price may not have been achieved," the report says.

Dave Whiteley, policy director at Arch, said: "I can’t really understand how the YJB was able to develop this software in-house rather than go out to tender. It raises questions about how public money was spent."

The report also criticises the YJB’s decision to employ former chief information officer and head of the Wiring Up programme, Mike Mackay, who cost the organisation £336,000 in 2008.

It goes on to say: "We did note to the YJB that employing a senior post holder on a rolling one-month contract for nearly four years meant there was an increased risk of spending more than absolutely necessary."

The YJB declined to comment on the findings.