Newport City Council completes IT move
Posted on Tuesday 2nd May 2017
Newport City Council has completed a move which sees IT services delivered by a collaborative service.
The council has now become part of the Shared Resource Service (SRS) which comprises Office of the Gwent Police and Crime Commissioner, Monmouthshire County Council, Torfaen County Borough Council and Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council.
The council’s Community Planning and Development Scrutiny Committee considered a report on the future delivery of corporate services including IT. Members indicated a preference for working with public sector partners and the council has since developed experience of working within joint venture partnerships and alternative service delivery models including Newport Live and Newport Norse.
A review group considered a range of options to deliver a resilient, cost effective, sustainable IT service which underpins service delivery across a range of council functions and schools.
The evidence reviewed included strategic challenges and risks; opportunities available; SoCITM (national Society of IT Managers) reports; a visit to the SRS headquarters and data centre; and feedback from existing customers of that service.
In March 2016, Cabinet approved the development of a detailed business case including cost savings, cost of change, risk and investment objectives and how a partnership with the SRS would support the ongoing ambitions of the council’s digital strategy.
Formal transfer of to the new service took place on 1 April, 2017.
Will Godfrey, Newport City Council’s Chief Executive, said: “Councils have to look at new ways of delivering both front-line and back-office functions. This is an excellent example of public sector organisations coming together and working collaboratively to strategically plan for a digital future, improve resilience and achieve economies of scale in an area that underpins everything we do as a council.”
Matt Lewis, Chief Operating Officer at the SRS, said: “We are very pleased to welcome Newport as a partner. The SRS is underpinned by a Memorandum of Understanding that enables a single management structure across the board, but also means that we can work with our partner organisations to tailor the service they receive. We look forward to working with Newport to grow and improve IT support and development.”