Southwark Council has lost its court battle against IBM after making claims the firm installed a system "unfit for purpose" at its offices.
The Council installed the Master Data Management system from Big Blue in late 2006 but claimed it had a number of flaws, from reporting through to message integration.
It ditched the system midway through 2007, claiming the system was not what it had signed up for and launched a court case in late 2009 to try and squeeze 2.5 million out of IBM for breach of contract.
However, Mr Justice Akenhead, who presided over the case, ruled there was no proof of these claims and the Council knew the capabilities of the software purchase when they made it.
A spokesperson for Southwark said the council was unhappy with the ruling but was not going to launch an appeal, which was estimated to have cost 700,000.
"This case refers to the acquisition of software back in 2006 which, in our view, was not fit for purpose," the spokesperson told The Guardian.
"We're disappointed with the judgement but we took this action because we believed we had been missold a product. Our duty is to have IT systems that work and that save the council and the council taxpayer money."
IBM said it was "pleased" with the judgement.
-
Hounslow Council partners with Amazon Web Services (AWS) to build resilience and transition away from legacy techSpomsored One of the most diverse and fastest-growing boroughs in London has completed a massive cloud migration project. Supported by AWS, it was able to work through any challenges
-
Salesforce targets better data, simpler licensing to spur Agentforce adoptionNews The combination of Agentforce 360, Data 360, and Informatica is more context for enterprise AI than ever before
-
What can AI do to empower those working in the legal sector today, tomorrow, and beyond?Supported AI is transforming the legal profession — from streamlining today’s workflows to shaping tomorrow’s strategies. For firms, the choice is clear: embrace trusted AI tools now or risk falling behind in a rapidly evolving landscape
-
AI in the legal sector: How to separate the signal from the noiseSupported From contract review to litigation strategy, AI promises efficiency. But with so much noise in the market, legal professionals must know how to spot tools that deliver real value
-
How AI can help rather than hinder knowledge workers in the legal professionSupported AI won’t replace lawyers — it empowers them. Free from routine tasks, legal pros can focus on strategy, judgment, and client success
-
AI legal confidence: What is it and how do you get there?Supported AI is reshaping legal practice, but doing so successfully comes down to building trust and confidence...
-
Legal professionals face huge risks when using AI at workAnalysis Legal professionals at a US law firm have been sanctioned over their use of AI after it was found to have created fake case law.
-
Put AI to work for IT operationswhitepaper Reduce the cost and complexity of managing hybrid applications
-
AI in the retail industry is spreading beyond the IT departmentNews AI has become a strategic imperative for retailers, delivering marked productivity gains
-
Maximizing contact center operations with generative AI assistants backed by responsible AI principleswhitepaper Reduce the cost and complexity of managing hybrid applications
