PublicTechnology.net

Local authorities will be able to host applications not suitable for cloud hosting via a new company being created by central government to provide data hosting services.

Ed Bradley and Tim Ingham believe the recent furore over council G-Cloud spending could help open up more contracts for small and medium enterprises.

Archie Hendryx looks at the benefits and challenges of managing multiple IT components through a single support solution.

The government will undertake more intensive engagement and education for local authorities on the G-Cloud purchasing framework from next year, according to Mike Bracken, executive director of digital in the Cabinet Office.

Public sector ICT representative body Socitm has slammed research reported by the BBC earlier this week which claimed county councils were “wasting millions” by not using the G-Cloud procurement platform.

Mark Keepax says that councils have an opportunity to lead cloud innovation in the UK.

Marcus Tackley says that councils don’t have to take an all-or-nothing approach to the Cloud.

The fifth iteration of the government’s G-Cloud framework will contain 1,132 suppliers when it goes live on Friday - a rise of 13% - PublicTechnology.net can reveal.

A business growth fund backed by government has made a £4 million investment in private cloud provider Skyscape Cloud Services, which will use the money to expand its services within local government.

A taskforce into digital skills established by Labour leader Ed Miliband is seeking views on how the UK can boost the ICT capabilities of employees.

Local government spending through the G-Cloud rose between February and March - but at a slower rate than the rest of the public sector - according to government figures.

The government has announced a series of measures to increase awareness of services and products available through its G-Cloud framework in response to surveys showing low awareness of the platform.
 

Almost half of local public sector bodies have no plans to procure services from the government’s G-Cloud marketplace, a new survey claims to reveal.

Local authorities counted for 4.9 per cent of total G-Cloud sales by value during the first two months of 2014, according to analysis by PublicTechnology.net.

Moving to the Public Services Network is a “game changer” which could help councils save millions of pounds by hosting services on the Cloud, according to BT’s business development director for PSN.

The government has admitted that finding products on its flagship digital marketplace, Cloudstore, is difficult and will overhaul search and categorisation functions.

Peterborough City Council has approved plans to review its ICT provision, with a view to outsourcing functions currently run in-house.

Vodafone has launched a hybrid cloud capability allowing IL3-level data to be transferred, and which can be accessed by councils on a pay-as-you-go basis.

Major changes are needed to ensure the continuing credibility of the G-Cloud project, according to a group of public sector ICT professionals including a senior digital manager at a London council.

Provider Steria has won a five year ICT managed services contract worth up to £35 million with Gloucestershire County Council, and will replace incumbent Capita from April.

Graeme Stewart says the move to the Public Services Network presents some big security challenges for local authorities, and that they need time to develop solutions.