Shared services plan for London boroughs

The GLA will make its web platform available to other councils

The Greater London Authority (GLA) is planning to offer its newly-procured web site infrastructure to other London councils as a shared service.

The GLA has acquired a content management system (CMS) to serve as a common platform for its own web site and the London Development Agency’s (LDA) site, but also wants to promote convergence of all web-based activities across the city.

The London Borough of Waltham Forest is among the first councils to consider implementing the Tridion system.

‘We expressed interest because we are upgrading our web site, so this came along at the right time,’ said Waltham Forest ICT operations manager Fay Heatley.

‘We are interested in the shared services agenda, particularly if it will reduce costs.’

Under the GLA’s procurement framework, London boroughs will be able to buy the CMS platform at a discounted rate without a formal tender process.

‘This will offer savings in reduced procurement costs, licence fees and development, and remove barriers to collaboration,’ said a GLA spokeswoman.

The Tridion software from Amaze will support the combined GLA and LDA site when the two merge early next year and provide the platform for intranet and knowledge management systems.

More councils will consider sharing a common system because of the potential cost savings, says Steve Pennant, chief executive at e-government group London Connects.

‘Some councils will adopt it but there is unlikely to be a London-wide common web platform in the near future because it would be very difficult to obtain agreement from all councils involved,’ he said.