The use of the latest data storage technology to create a real paperless office is among the new developments at a more tech-savvy Eastbourne Council. - See more at: http://www.storetec.net/news-blog/paperless-office-central-to-council-improvement

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Paperless office central to council improvement
The use of the latest data storage technology to create a real paperless
office is among the new developments at a more tech-savvy
Eastbourne Council.
Changing the way the council works for the better has been a key aim
since it was listed as a badly performing council in its 2008
comprehensive area assessment, which delivered the lowest
possible score and noted its systems were unfit for purpose.

2. Speaking to Computing Magazine, deputy chief executive Julian
Osgathorpe explained how working with public sector IT specialist
Civica has been improving the way the local authority operates.
One of the measures has been a project called DRIVE – Delivering
Real Innovation and Value for Eastbourne – which Civica became
involved with in 2011.

3. Mr Osgathorpe explained: "At that point, what we engaged with was
their electronic document and records management systems [EDRMS],
and we used that EDRMS capability to implement agile working, and
create the digital working environment,"It's produced a fully paperless,
digital office. Now, I know a lot of people say that, but this is genuine.
This was 100 per cent paperless by March 2013."
Other innovations have included removing "vertical siloes" in the
council that preventing it being more customer focused, a move that
has seen whole departments axed, such as planning and
environmental health.

4. However, he argued, the efficient storage and use of data – more
important than ever at a time when cuts have forced councils to reduce
their workforces – could be used more if the data protection rules
imposed on the public sector were not so "artificial and kneejerk". If this
changed, data contained in the same architecture could be shared by
different departments – such as planning alongside council tax, or antisocial behaviour information with environmental health data – the
council could provide better services, Mr Osgathorpe suggested.

5. The improved use of data to make councils more efficient and provide
enhanced services is not just confined to Eastbourne.
Writing in the Guardian this week, cabinet member for finance at the
London Borough of Camden Theo Blackwell said the authority had
improved its services by using a "geek squad" to make use of the large
amount of information it holds on residents and help use this to
formulate appropriate services.

6. Storetec News/Blogs “
http://www.storetec.net/news-blog/paperless-office-central-to-council-im
”. Paperless office central to council improvement. November 14,
2013. Storetec.

7. Storetec News/Blogs “
http://www.storetec.net/news-blog/paperless-office-central-to-council-im
”. Paperless office central to council improvement. November 14,
2013. Storetec.