So, the extra cost is due to interfacing with the old databases.
In essence 200 grand is being spent to make sure old results are compatible...
Always bear in mind we are talking about folks clocking miles on a bicycle for a hobby and counting points for a bit of extra fun... WTF gives a toss about old results? It's not that you can get an OBE by producing them... they are worthless pieces of information.
This AUK obsession for looking back at who got the highest number of SR over its history is surely not worth 200 k!
I think I might have cared about this at some point. Early IT was a continuation of the DIY ethos, and I'm grateful for the efforts of those who pioneered AUK's online presence.
But organisations mature, and at some point the DIYers recede into the background, let their memberships lapse, and get occasional glimpses into an opaque world that they're better off out of.
Good luck with sorting out this problem.
It's just going to spiral.
If AUK spends 340k on a website, it will become unrealistic to charge 15 quid for a membership or 5-10 quid to enter an event.
I don't see the need for such a spanky interface... I get the old one needs replacing, but 340k is the sort of money a multimillion pound business will consider... AUK is not a multi million pound business... end of the story.
BTW, if I look at the ACP interface for inspiration, I think we have at least another 10 years left in the current Aukweb...