Local authority signs five year IBM deal
Hampshire Council says services-oriented architecture will improve flexibility and efficiency
Hampshire County Council has signed five-year deal with supplier IBM for a software development platform to improve services for residents and local organisations.
The services-oriented architecture (SOA) will allow the council to deliver more efficient and flexible services to more than 10,000 service users and organisations such as schools.
SOA is the next essential step in the council’s technology strategy, says Hampshire chief information officer Jos Creese.
‘We need better systems integration so the different services and professions can work more closely together,’ he said.
‘We also need enhanced business process management to respond more effectively to changing needs, improved information management so we can understand those needs better, and sharpened security management so we can do all this safely.
‘Each of these is a prerequisite for IT to meet the needs of front line services and the general public and to get the best from our IT investments elsewhere.’
The agreement also covers support from IBM to help establish a Hampshire County Council SOA Centre of Excellence to establish best practice, secure the long term development of a technology platform and facilitate sharing of services across the council’s service users, staff, suppliers and partners.
Hampshire County Council Leader Ken Thornber says it is facing some very difficult challenges in keeping up with growing demand for services without matching funds.
‘To meet these challenges, among other things, Hampshire County Council has to be a leader in IT,’ he said. ‘This agreement places a big responsibility on both the County Council and IBM to make sure that we meet those expectations.’
What do you think? Email us at [email protected]
Further reading