COUNCIL GIVEN ACCESS TO GOVERNMENT INFORMATION SHARING NETWORK (York Liberal Democrats)

York Liberal Democrats <info@yorklibdems.org.uk>

COUNCIL GIVEN ACCESS TO GOVERNMENT INFORMATION SHARING NETWORK

July 30, 2009 12:00 AM

Communication between City of York Council and central Government departments should soon be speeded up after the Council's IT system was approved for access to the new Government Connect system.

The Government Connect System allows for Local Authorities and Government Departments, including the DWP, DCSF and CLG, to share information more easily.

By using the new Government Connect services it is estimated that Local Authorities across the country could save up to £30m a year in courier and communications costs incurred when sharing data with central Government.

The system should also allow Housing and Council Tax benefits to be processed faster and more securely.

In order to gain access to the system City of York Council had to prove that its IT network met stringent security requirements to ensure data was kept safe.

Liberal Democrat Executive Member for Corporate Services, Councillor Richard Moore said, "The new system should allow for more joined up government, with information being shared more easily."

"It will also save the council time and money as it will now be possible to gain instant access to information, rather than having to wait for it to be sent by courier."

"The Council's ITT staff have worked hard to ensure the Council's IT system meets all the security criteria for access to this network. I hope that the Government will work as hard to ensure that their own levels of data security are as high as those they expect Local Authorities to achieve."