Local government body the Society of Local Authority Chief
Executives (Solace) has signed a business agreement with software
giant Oracle to share personnel and e-government expertise between
the public and private sectors.
David Clark, Solace's director general, said, "We have agreed to
form a business partnership with Oracle to exchange people and
ideas between the two organisations."
Oracle said the agreement will help the public sector meet the
challenge of the Government's 2005 target for electronic service
delivery and joined-up government.
Secondment of employees under the partnership is more likely to
effect operational staff in local authorities, although Clark
confirmed that some chief executives are already involved in
non-executive brainstorming with Oracle. "We are trying to mix
private sector and public sector people," he said.
Clark believes the agreement, which was signed at last week's
Solace conference, could help local authorities work with the
private sector for high-profile public private partnerships
(PPPs).
"With the move towards PPPs, these partnerships are becoming more
important because each party has to understand the other," he
said.
There is growing concern in the public sector about the impact of
PPPs. Newcastle City Council recently obtained a High Court
injunction to prevent a strike by public sector staff opposed to
the council's plans to introduce a PPP to IT services.