Local authority searches from Bracknell Forest Council remain unavailable after an issue with the transfer of data to a new system supplier.
In an email update shared on Friday, the council wrote: “We’re continuing to work with Arcus and external data experts to find a solution to the ongoing land charges ICT issue. Unfortunately, we still do not have a date for when the system will be up and running. We apologise for this ongoing and inconvenient situation.”
The council said it had been hopeful the data mapping issue preventing accurate results from being returned had been solved, but further testing had shown errors were still occurring. It added it was hopeful that testing for the backlog of searches could start this week.
The issue was first reported on the BBC in April, although it appears the problem pre-dates this by some months. Following a tendering process, Arcus Global was selected to deliver a new IT system for the council. Although a “short, week-long delay in processing applications while data moved from one system to another” was anticipated, Bracknell Forest Council said its data was not in a format that can be easily synced with the new system.
The council added in a statement on its website: “The data was complex and complicated and so required significant work to cross-check and review once data mapping issues were identified. This work is now largely complete, but some data links and targeted data still need to be worked on.
“Unfortunately, what was meant to be a simple switch over became problematic as the data could not be transferred as easily and accurately as anticipated.”
The council admitted this week that it was not “confident the data pulls through to the Land Register correctly” and said inaccurate results are still being delivered. Over 700 searches remain outstanding, a mixture of council (official) and regulated (personal) searches. Refunds for applications for searches logged from Monday 26 January 2026 are being actioned, the council said.
“We need to be fully confident of the results being accurate before we bring the service back online,” it added. “The focus is to deal with the data issues that relate to already submitted search requests, so that these are processed quickly. Then turning attention to the remaining data requirements to have a fully functioning system. It is anticipated that testing on the backlog will start early next week.
“We would like to reassure everyone we are doing everything we can to resolve this as quickly as possible.”
When the service resumes, the council estimates it will take about 12 weeks to clear the backlog, with applications processed in the order they were submitted and extra staff being drafted in to support. A full review of the implementation will follow, the council said.
Peter Dewsbury, chief executive officer of Arcus Global, said: “We are aware of the disruption to the land charges service at Bracknell Forest Council. Arcus staff are working constructively with the council’s team to restore a comprehensive service as soon as possible.”
