Medway Council has relocated more than 1,000 staff to its new headquarters with the help of a high-speed communications network from part of the Virgin Media Group. The network is driving greater efficiency for the council, enabling it to rationalise from three main sites to the centre at Gun Wharf in Chatham.
Medway Council is a unitary council providing all local government services for 250,000 people in northern Kent. As part of the relocation process it had to consolidate three separate networks and IT systems into one, without disrupting frontline operations for its 180 satellite locations. These include libraries, schools, care homes and children’s centres. The new infrastructure provides a platform for the council’s future plans, enabling flexible working and providing mobile access to council systems for field-based staff.
The shared services approach is at the heart of the new network’s design. Other public sector organisations in the area can install their servers within the new data centre at Gun Wharf, which is linked to the Kent Public Service Network via a high speed connection.
"Consolidating our three headquarters buildings into one without impacting the services we provide meant we needed a professional partner who we could work closely with to deliver our new network," said Moira Bragg, Head of ICT at Medway Council. "ntl:Telewest Business’ solution enables us to deliver a more efficient service to our citizens and have the flexibility to support our needs. Our new infrastructure provides a high speed platform for Medway’s future."
ntl:Telewest Business was chosen by Medway Council due to its collaborative approach, and its ability to create a flexible network that underpins the council’s agenda for regeneration and regional growth. These include state-of-the-art communications for the Medway Park sports centre, which has been selected as a training centre for the 2012 Olympics.
"Local government needs to increase efficiency whilst delivering the highest standards of service," said John Maund, public sector sales manager for the south, ntl:Telewest Business. "Rationalising building stock not only delivers cost savings but enables the modernisation of council infrastructure. Medway Council’s new network provides a platform for innovation in shared services, flexible working and improved customer service."
Medway Council spans both urban and rural areas, meaning it has a wide variety of offices and locations. It chose ntl:Telewest Business’ Ethernet Virtual Private Network (VPN) service, which provides secure, high-speed, any-to-any connectivity across towns, cities or regions.
About ntl:Telewest Business
ntl:Telewest Business has the most technically advanced of the UK’s two national networks. Its vast nation-wide Next Generation Network provides businesses, public sector organisations and service providers across the UK with a complete portfolio of advanced data, internet and voice services. The £13billion network is flexible, scaleable and is already built out to more than 38,000 street cabinets across the UK.
As part of a commitment to deliver superior customer service, ntl:Telewest Business sales and support teams are located in close proximity to its customers in over 40 centres across the UK.
ntl:Telewest Business is trusted to provide critical communications to high profile customers including: Birmingham City Council, Yorkshire Water and EasyJet.
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