Local authorities are playing an increasingly important role in supporting and advising schools in the purchase of technology as part of the £45bn Building Schools for the Future (PDF) programme.

According to a survey by Becta, three quarters of local authorities have a strategy for IT learning.

"Local authorities have an important role to play in the strategic leadership and shaping of the local learning system," said Becta chief executive Stephen Crowne.

"It is encouraging to see from the survey results that they are thinking very carefully about technology provision, and have a good understanding about the importance of IT to learners."

The survey found that local authorities have placed particular focus on learning platforms, and on supporting schools in their use.

Local authorities often form local education partnerships with schools and private sector firms to deliver the projects and act as the single point of procurement.

But an investigation by Computing earlier in the year found that procurement done by authorities rather than by individual schools was causing tension in some areas as schools were being forced to buy equipment they did not need.