A new three-year Cemeteries Management IT System, at a cost of $441,049, will be installed by Central Coast Council to manage its 13 cemeteries.
It was decided at Council’s June 15 meeting to replace two existing IT systems with one, more efficient, fit-for-purpose system, following an open tender process.
Council will invest $361,049 in the 2021-22 Budget and $80,000 over two financial years, 2021-22 and 2022-23.
A Council spokesperson said a reduction in the overall cost had been achieved by opting for a multi-year contract and operational savings in licensing costs.
The new system will provide new memorialisation and burial offerings to the community, 24/7 online access to records and to record all historic cemetery data, faster processing for site sales, burial bookings, ash interments, monumental works and customer inquiries.
This will reduce time spent by staff on administration which will increase capacity for other projects within the cemeteries.
It is expected the new IT system will be up and running by the end of 2021.
The implementation of a dedicated and fit-for-purpose Cemetery Management System was a recommendation of the Capacity Study and Cemeteries Business Strategy and a key strategic action in the Cemeteries Business Plan for 2020-21.
Sue Murray