Leeds City Council
“As its leading strategic supplier, SCC supported the Council's aim to fundamentally overhaul its technology estate from the desktop to the datacentre, as part of a major transformation programme that aims to help it cost effectively deliver against e-communications targets.”
Delivering e-enablement, to improve online access to services in line with the Modernising Government guidelines, is a prerequisite for Local Government Authorities. Electronic services make it easier for the public to interact with their local councils. Successfully implemented, they will also deliver cost savings and value for money.
Providing over 500 services to thriving and diverse communities, whilst meeting central Government e-related targets, is a constant challenge for any local authority. However, Leeds City Council, the second largest Metropolitan local authority in England serving over 700,000 residents, has made excellent progress. Underpinning its electronic services is a robust network infrastructure and technology procurement best practice.
Infrastructure transformation
SCC has helped the Council overhaul its IT estate, to ensure front line services are supported by a secure, stable and effective back office system. The key technical objective was to upgrade the entire 10,000 desktop environment from Windows 98 to Windows XP and from Microsoft Office 97 to Microsoft Office 2003. The opportunity was also taken to upgrade the wide area network.
SCC's role involved impartial strategic supply advice and technical consultancy - in addition to project managing and implementing individual aspects of the upgrade. The procurement of certain hardware and technologies has enabled the Council to benefit from cost savings, thanks to a powerful supply chain. Whilst Service Level Agreements (SLAs), reviewed quarterly, underpin the contract.
Desktop transformation
SCC has assisted with the roll out of some 4,500 new HP desktops, each of which is asset tagged. Leveraging bonded storage and project management capabilities, on-time and right place delivery of a standardised product set has been guaranteed, removing the risk of shortages and changes to specifications. SCC has also assisted with imaging new PCs and upgrades, whilst on-site engineers have helped manage the physical swap out. SCC has also provided the technical resource to upgrade and migrate 3,500 desktops in order that they can both run Windows XP and the new Microsoft Office 2003 environment.
The desktop roll-out, migration and upgrade project has not only achieved operational improvements but reduced overall desktop management costs.
Data Centre services
A new Data Center has been purpose built to underpin the new infrastructure. SCC liaised closely with all contractors involved in the development of a one-stop-shop facility at Leeds Civic Hall to install relevant hardware - including servers, storage area networks and power supplies.
Hardware maintenance services cover 20,000 devices, including desktops and support accessories, servers and Data Centre technologies, all of which are delivered on a resource based contract.
Technology solutions
These include server applications; enterprise security software; and the provision of hardware to enable the Council to standardize its email and collaboration systems.
Developing a technical blueprint
Underpinning its strategic approach, Leeds City Council's ICT team has developed a technical blueprint in consultation with SCC and leading industry research and analysis company, Gartner. This clearly outlines the Council's information communication technology (ICT) architecture and objectives and sets out the strategic road map for achieving it.
Procurement best practice
Delivering technology procurement best practice to help the Council effectively yet cost efficiently provide its myriad of electronic public services has been an underlying objective of the ICT team for some years. As a result, SCC has supported the rationalization of the Council's procurement processes. A vast number of buying points have been reduced to create a centralized system that is more manageable and cost efficient. This enables the Council to achieve economies of scale and meet its best practice targets.
Licensing procurement
Licensing procurement, in particular Enterprise agreements, has been consolidated to Novell and Microsoft, as part of the best practice programme. This has saved the Council no less than £600,000.
“As our prime technology contractor, SCC has never failed to take responsibility for achieving operational excellence, whilst remaining focused on finding and creating efficiencies that help us to provide first class and value for money electronic public services.”Head of ICT, Leeds City Council
