Michael Crich, Cornwall Council corporate director for resources, said, "At present we have staff across the organisation processing the same types of paperwork in different ways using the various systems that belonged to the old councils. Because many processes are manual, there can be double or even triple handling."

Crich said the new ERP system will "modernise processes, bring the council in line with other large councils across the country, and make it much more efficient".

Council leader Alec Robertson said, "We have an ambition to create a 'Big Cornwall' where public sector agencies work together to deliver efficiencies over and above those required by government."

He said the ERP system will mean "that in the longer term we could run finance and human resources services for other public sector partners in Cornwall or even public sector organisations further afield. There is scope to join up services locally and to bring income into the area".

In other ERP news, a pet foods company £39 million in compensation and damages through a court after claiming its ERP supplier misrepresented the capabilities of its software.