Local authorities will be able to own technology or
services they develop in partnership, the government has
announced.
Products and services developed by the Local e-Government
National Projects Unit will be offered directly to local
authorities.
According to the Office for the Deputy Prime Minister, national
projects in development include customer relationship management
technology, digital TV, a framework for information sharing in a
multi-agency environment, and using knowledge management technology
for local authority websites.
National projects were designed to provide building blocks to
help local authorities in England deliver local e-government
services to the public, and are part of the government’s "build
once, use often" strategy to save public money.
In the first instance, ownership of each national project will
be offered to the current lead authority behind it.
Each lead authority will then decide if it wishes to share the
service with any other members of the national project board or
with existing or new commercial partners.
If a lead authority does not wish to continue responsibility for
the ownership of a product or service, they will be offered to
other councils and suitable bodies, including the Improvement and
Development Agency, the lead authorities of the regional centres of
excellence, other government departments or the private sector.
Any national project not taken up after this second ownership
opportunity would be discontinued, said the Office for the Deputy
Prime Minister.
Transfer of ownership will be completed by December 2005. Phil
Hope, minister for local e-government said, "This policy should
secure the roll-out of these products over the longer term, where
there is a demonstrable need from local government for them to
continue."