Shropshire Council on verge of launching its digital transformation programme

Shropshire Council is seeking approval at Full Council (Thursday 21 July 2016) to launch its Digital Transformation programme.

The ICT Digital Transformation programme outlines the council’s ambition to redesign how the council delivers services and manages operations. The outcome of the proposals aim to make interaction with the council and its services easier and more cost-effective.

The programme details the use of cloud-based technologies and an integrated platform for all operating systems. The transformation programme will focus on social care and back-office systems, to enable Shropshire Council to transform the delivery of services.

Digital channels offer a more efficient way for residents to interact with the council. The time and money saved will support frontline services, such as support for vulnerable adults.

By adopting a more integrated approach, the Digital Transformation programme will enable staff to work anytime, anyplace and anywhere – closer to those who may need support. The program is part of wider efforts to enable Shropshire Council to respond and adapt quickly to changing residents and council needs.

If the transformation programme is approved, it will bring a significant financial benefit of £36m over a 5-year period; with a considerably higher benefit over a 7- to 10-year period, the normal ‘lifespan’ of a similar transformation programme.

Michael Wood, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for corporate and support, said:-

“As digital technologies continue to transform our daily lives, we need to make sure that we keep pace with this by providing a joined-up solution. Shropshire Council will, through implementing the recommended approach for the ICT Digital Transformation programme, reduce overall running costs, reduce the number of systems it uses, manage these centrally and improve its online services to customers, making the website the place of choice when requiring information or services from the council.

“Our programme is well placed to take full advantage of all economic, social and environmental opportunities offered by the digital age. The use of technology will improve services to residents, make interaction with the council and its services easier and more cost-effective, enabling us to concentrate resources where they are most needed.”

The drive behind the programme is a direct result of central government-led austerity, and the issues faced when working with an outdated infrastructure. Shropshire Council needs to reduce ongoing costs of services, in line with the overall reduction of council budgets. This will be achieved with a programme of transformation, to ensure significant financial benefits are accrued across the organisation.

Further information

This integrated approach aims to:

• bring significant financial benefits to enable Shropshire Council to improve public services at a lower cost
• replace existing outdated systems that are not currently integrated
• remove systems and processes that hold the same information on different platforms
• deliver high-quality management information and business intelligence
• improve customer experience so residents can access information anytime, anywhere, through a variety of channels
• improve the current outdated IT provision, which has seen no significant investment since the inception of the unitary council in 2009
• remove the significant manual effort currently required to deliver services
• provide reliable data communication to support council services
• enable more agile and flexible working.