Hampshire and Oxfordshire Agree New ICT PartnershipAs reported by UKauthorITy.com in December, the agreement is the result of a decision to share an SAP will initially be centred on an SAP system that bothcouncils use for their human resources and finances. Under the new arrangements, Hampshire will replace a private contractor supporting Oxfordshire's SAP system, saving Oxfordshire £1m over the next three years, and generating shared capacity for Hampshire county council.
The agreement was formally signed at Oxfordshire county council's cabinet meeting on Tuesday.
A statement said that the agreement will also facilitate further collaborations including:
- The supply or sharing of services from each other.
- Working together to improve the terms of existing contracts where the two councils also have a mutual interest in securing better value
- Sharing resources and specialist skills to meet changing service priorities, support and maintenance needs.
Both councils have areas of expertise in ICT and will share this openly in future, further reducing costs and increasing innovative use of technology to transform service design and delivery. This will help meet growing demands for technology support in the future without increasing costs. There is no intention therefore that staffing levels will reduce as a result of the partnership.
Councillor David Robertson, Oxfordshire's deputy leader, said: "Throughout the UK, councils are working ever more closely together to create efficiencies and save money. It is the common sense way forward, and this proposed agreement with our colleagues in Hampshire is an example on quite a large scale.
"Skills and knowledge sharing would bring added resilience to both organisations and Oxford City Council will also benefit given that Oxfordshire county council provides ICT support to colleagues there and has done for some time.
Hampshire executive member for strategic development, Councillor Stephen Reid, said: "This is another example of Hampshire county council encouraging shared services to reduce cost and exploit the potential of IT to modernise. It is fantastic that we will be working in this way with Oxfordshire county council and I hope the partnership can grow from this exciting beginning."
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Autor(en)/Author(s): Tim Hampson
Quelle/Source: UKauthorITy, 14.03.2012
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