Western Mail - Jan 2 2006
A Council has signed a multi-million-pound contract to computerise its links with the public.
Swansea City and County Council has brought in IT firm Capgemini to mastermind a £170m change in the way the council operates and delivers its services.
The £170m will be spent over the next 10 years.
The council wants the 10-year contract to save the authority £42m over the next decade by introducing new IT systems and more efficient working practices.
Also, the council will be putting into the project £52m from its existing IT budget over the next 10 years and £32m from its reception and contact staff budget.
The council will plough in £3m a year over 10 years as its contribution.
Swansea City and County Council said it had signed an £80m plus deal with Capgemini for the first phase of the project.
A spokesman said, "In this first phase Capgemini will design and build new IT systems and help introduce more efficient working practices.
"In addition to designing and building the new IT systems, Capgemini will also run them on an outsourced basis for the next 10 years, along with the majority of the council's existing IT systems."
The second phase, which is expected to roll out later, aims to transform customer access to services via a new call centre, new face-to-face contact centre, extended opening hours and internet services.
Last year, IT workers at the council went on strike for two months over the plan to bring in an outside IT contractor to design and operate the new computer services and transfer them to the private sector.
Union leaders said they were concerned that other council departments might also be "outsourced" to private companies and that this could lead to job losses.
But the strike was called off after assurances were given.
"This will signal a new era for the people of Swansea," said the council.
