The project issues
Following a change of control, King’s Lynn & West Norfolk Borough Council decided to carry out a strategic review of ICT performance, with particular reference to the e-government agenda. It was felt that ICT performance could be improved and moves towards e-government handled more rapidly, but both aims would need to be achieved without impact on Council Tax levels.

Following a competitive tendering exercise managed through S-Cat, Socitm Consulting was selected to carry out a multi-faceted strategic review which in addition to the issues of ICT performance and e-government would also specifically examine:

• The impact of changes in the Housing area, where a stock transfer was likely to take place
• Progress to date on a project to implement the Local Land and Property Gazetteer
• Plans for a comprehensive adoption of One Stop Shops and CRM solutions as a means of delivering improved service to customers in a more cost-effective way. The Council had already been alerted to this as a possible way forward in an earlier report by consultants, and required especially close scrutiny of the IT implications.

The Socitm Consulting solution
The project required sensitive handling in view of the recent change of control and a previous efficiency report produced by another consultancy.

The team of consultants deployed included specialists in the areas of ICT strategy development, e-government, Social Housing, property gazetteers, and IT performance benchmarking – a key element being the undertaking of a benchmarking exercise to determine how the ICT service was performing objectively in comparison with those in peer authorities.

A programme of structured interviews with key members and officers was undertaken, complemented by workshops involving the Council’s e-champion and staff.

A consolidated report was produced for the Council which identified progress to date and areas of concern, and proposed future priorities to meet policy objectives. The report was well-received by the Council who subsequently re-engaged Socitm Consulting to undertake further projects involving property data improvement and procurement of a content management system.

The benefits to the client
The Council received an objective view of the performance of their ICT service in comparison with those in similar authorities, and recommendations as to future policy which reflected agreed policy objectives.

Socitm Consulting’s report identified key drivers for e-government development in the authority’s relatively low population density and the number of customers living at a distance from Council infrastructure. The report concluded that only investment in e-government infrastructure such as CRM and contact centres could deliver the efficiency gains required to achieve improved service standards without increasing Council Tax levels. E-procurement, however, was not an immediate priority for the Council.

The report also provided a useful check on the quality of work carried out to date in relevant areas by project managers within the organisation as well as by external consultants.

Project identification  
Client organisation: King’s Lynn and West Norfolk Borough Council
Client contact: Ray Harding, Chief Executive, Ray.Harding@West-Norfolk.gov.uk
Lead consultant: stephen.howes@socitm.gov.uk
Project no: 4583