Codestone

Category: Support & Managed Services

Outsourced IT is expected to become a key trend for many local authorities over the coming months and years.

Mark Lewis, head of outsourcing at law firm Berwin Leihton Paisne, told ComputerWeekly.com that he believes more and more authorities will turn to IT support services in the wake of Birmingham City Council's announcement it would be doing so.

"This could be the start of very significant outsourcing and offshoring in local government," he told the website.

He said that for the past few months, he had heard news about local authorities failing to meet their cost-cutting targets.

"Now we are seeing it happen," Mr Lewis said, explaining that authorities considering outsourced IT are making efficiency gains a reality.

Last week, a spokesperson for Service Birmingham, which provides services for the city's council, said it was "exploring how [it] can utilise some overseas expertise to help deliver a cost-effective addition" to the existing operations in the city.

Posted by Jamie Rees