Westminster City Council is to replace its communications network to cut costs and support more flexible working practices.

The council is to provide its 5,000 staff in 300 locations with access to 3G phones, home working systems and traditional fixed-line telephony services.

Westminster has yet to sign a deal, but is looking for a three-year managed voice services contract. Simon Norbury, Westminster’s head of IT, says the council is viewing the refresh as an opportunity to introduce new communications technology.

‘It will give us the opportunity to save money, but also to exploit the things we are trying to do with our Work Smart programme, which includes a heavy component of flexible working,’ said Norbury.

‘That could give us quite heavy office accommodation savings, and alter the hours we work.’

The chosen supplier will also provide the council with 1,250 SIM cards to use for mobile kit, issued to any council staff from social workers to street cleaners, says Norbury.

‘We already use handheld devices with traffic attendants, for example, but why shouldn’t the guy sweeping the street have a PDA so that if someone asks him for directions he can use it to provide information,’ he said.

‘We want to move away from officers with a PC, a PDA and a phone. Instead we want to move to more standard devices.’

Westminster IT

• Westminster council is to overhaul its voice technology.
• The new technology will also improve flexible working.
• In May 2005, the council announced plans to put WiFi hotspots in lamp posts.