ROCHDALE IT RENEWAL PROGRAMME - SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENT APPROVED TO REPLACE THE NETWORK AND EMAIL SYSTEMS
September 9, 2007
It is just over a year now since the Impact Partnership was established to provide ICT, property, highways, contact centre and payroll services on behalf of Rochdale Metropolitan Borough Council (RMBC).
As part of RMBC’s wider transformation agenda investment of £1.5m has recently been secured by the Impact Partnership to carry out a major IT renewal programme.
Work now begins on the major infrastructure redesign and refresh of the network, email system and use of a purpose built for third party data centre. These improvements will deliver significant service improvements for the network and email systems and improve IT performance, reliability and security. This investment will provide the necessary platform for the future ICT needs within RMBC, ensuring local citizens receive a responsive and reliable service.
“The ICT Renewal Programme is essential to provide a stable IT platform and secure and reliable network” explains Tim Linsdell, Impact’s Acting ICT Service Director; “It will replace the existing IT infrastructure with new servers, storage and high performance data links, as well as an upgrade to a more resilient email system, including anti-spam technology.”
“The existing data storage system needs significant investment to ensure its future reliability. However, the programme will make use of newer techniques, including state of the art storage area networks, automated backups which will allow for more robust and efficient disaster recovery plan and to ensure business critical data is not lost.”
The ICT renewal programme is also good news for arms-length management organisations (ALMO’s) such as Rochdale Boroughwide Housing and Rochdale Development Agency who will now be able to receive a more tailored service.
The whole programme will take approximately nine months to complete but some major upgrades, including email reliability, should be in place within six months.
Chief Executive of RMBC, Roger Ellis said: "I hope that these improvements will give us the robust technological infrastructure we need in order to facilitate a more responsive service for our citizens."
Note to editors:
1. The Impact Partnership is an innovative joint venture partnership between Mouchel Parkman, Agilisys and Rochdale Council, and delivers Property, Highways, ICT and Business services. The best of private and public sector skills creates an ambitious and socially aware organisation with the aims of supporting physical regeneration, creating sustainable jobs, introducing effective technology, and providing exemplary services to all clients. (www.theimpactpartnership.com)
2. Mouchel Parkman is a professional support services group, which helps clients in the public sector and regulated industry to provide better everyday services to customers and communities. It is a combination of professional, commercial and technical expertise enabling clients to improve their strategy, services, people and asset management. Operations include highways, rail, property, housing, education, energy, water and management consultancy across a wide range of disciplines. Mouchel Parkman employs around 7,000 staff in more than 100 offices in the UK, and has a turnover of more than £405m
3. Agilisys is the UK’s most innovative IT and business process service provider, transforming the way our clients deliver services to their customers through the use of strategic, affordable, shared service platforms. Working for both the public and private sector, we have earned a strong reputation and hold deep domain expertise within local government, travel and tourism, retail financial services and healthcare. Agilisys has over 1,000 employees in the UK, Ireland and India. (www.agilisys.co.uk)
Press enquiries:
James Brisbane
Communications Manager
The Impact Partnership
01706 923375
07966 310919
james.brisbane@theimpactpartnership.com