One down, 21 to go...
The Government has confirmed the first official transfer of ownership of work developed under its £80 million programme of Local eGovernment National Projects.
Bracknell Forest Borough Council will formally take over the £4.1m National Smartcard Project and its products, it was announced on 20 July.
The Council has been the lead authority behind the smartcard project since 2002.
The agreement follows the announcement, made back in February, that the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister would give each lead council first refusal on owning and exploiting project outputs.
The move was part of a strategy to enable the National Projects to continue after their core funding runs out.
In this instance, Bracknell Forest will receive £75,000 from the ODPM to 'facilitate' the transfer of ownership.
According to the ODPM, the funding will allow the Council to set up and run a user group for 12 months, as well as cover their legal fees, marketing, personnel and website costs.
Local eGovernment Minister Jim Fitzpatrick and Cllr Paul Bettison, Leader of Bracknell Forest BC, both expressed their delight at the transfer.
Cllr Bettison said the Council was looking forward "to continuing to share the expertise and experience gained through the National Smartcard Project with other local authorities looking to implement smartcard technology."
The transfer, said the Minister, would "ensure the National Projects remain at the core of the Local e-Government programme and that councils continue to reap the benefits of their products."
The software developed by the project is now available to all English local authorities looking to implement multi-purpose smartcard schemes, via four licence agreement options. More details are available here.
Cllr Bettison added: "The software and other outputs from the National Smartcard Project are the culmination of two years of hard work by leading edge local authorities. We will be developing this work to give all English local authorities the opportunity to invest in new technologies and realise cost efficiencies at their own pace."
The ODPM is hoping to complete the handover of all 22 National Projects by the end of this year.
Reports have been received that a number of lead authorities have turned down ownership of the projects.
If this is the case then under the ODPM's plans, the projects will be offered to other councils and government bodies. If they pass on the opportunity, the projects could be offered up to the private sector. Projects without any takers will be discontinued.
Related Links
National Smartcard Project website
Local e-Government: Future Strategy Outlined for National Project products
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