- Total ICT spending up 10% to £2.7bn with jobs set to rise
- Clarification of ‘Priority Outcomes’ is generally welcomed – even if too late
- More work needed to increase take-up of e-services
- ICT managers increase role in service development and delivering efficiencies
- ICT departments continue to improve own performance
- Councils show solid approach to ICT governance and risk management
ICT Managers in local authorities remain very positive about the benefits that e-government programmes will deliver to citizens according to IT Trends 2004/5, the latest edition of the Society of IT Management (Socitm) annual survey, published on 9 December.
Although councils’ describe their e-programmes as modest rather than ambitious, the new ICT systems being implemented are expected to improve citizen access and also help to deliver higher quality services. Councils believe they will have created appropriate infrastructure and bought the software needed to provide multi channel access by the end of 2005.
Councils are reporting planned increases in spending again this year. Figures from the survey suggest that investment in equipment, software and services is expected to reach £600m in 2004. Staff numbers are expected to rise also, with more that 900 ICT jobs being created. Total spending will reach nearly £2.7bn, a 10% increase on last year (40% in the last two years). Not all councils are forecasting increases in spend however.
A number of councils believe that the national e-Government programme is distorting local priorities for service development, and while new guidance issued in England on “priority outcomes” has generally been welcomed, many councils have said that it has come too late, and changing course has presented a significant challenge for some.
While councils have consulted staff and provided education and training as part of the marketing and promotion of e-government, the survey shows that it is generally acknowledged that more work needs to be done to encourage customers and business to take up e-services now available.
An increasing number of IT Managers are reporting that they have a major role within the council helping to shape the direction of service development and deliver efficiencies. As a group they believe that the performance of all council services could be improved by the introduction of better IT systems.
The ICT functions themselves are delivering better value for money than they were a year ago, and the survey highlights a developing culture of performance management in local government ICT.
At a time when central government ICT problems are much in the news, local authorities appear to be developing a sophisticated approach to the corporate governance of ICT and its risk management. In relation to the three functional areas of development, the treatment of it assets, and policies, upwards of 85% of authorities recorded that they have formal risk management approaches in place or under development. A further 10% of authorities reported that they plan to introduce risk management in to these areas in the future.
Socitm President Chris Guest, Head of Technology and Improvement at Flintshire County Council welcomes the report, in particular what it shows about the trends in the way ICT is being handled within councils: The survey confirms anecdotal evidence that ICT managers are increasingly involved in the wider management of the councils’ he says, ‘and that they are playing a key role is helping their organisations develop services, improve performance and plan investment. New job opportunities are being created and we are attracting intelligent and talented people interested in making our public services amongst the best in the world.’
IT Trends is Socitm’s annual survey of Heads of ICT and other senior managers in local authorities who control or influence ICT spending. Now in its 18th year, the survey provides comprehensive and reliable data on ICT expenditure, management & staffing, user training, technology and its application, as well as progress with implementation of the National Strategy for local e-government. This year’s survey report is based on responses to a lengthy questionnaire sent to heads of ICT in the 467 local authorities of England, Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland. A separate questionnaire was sent to Directors of Education, Directors of Social Services and selected Health Trusts. Benchmark Data provided by Socitm members has also been used. In total over 180 councils have taken part in this year’s survey.
Quelle: Publictechnology.net, 08.12.2004
