Comment: Government ICT Strategy neglects councils

The Guardian - Martin Ferguson, head of policy at Socitm, says there is still too much of a top down approach in Whitehall thinking. Socitm has welcomed the new emphasis on IT enabled business change, service efficiency and technology consolidation in the new Government ICT Strategy.

However, the strategy remains too focused on central government. Although there is less focus on 'departments', it still falls short of embracing the sort of pan-public services approach that Socitm would like to see.

This is the approach that will be exemplified in the forthcoming Routemap for ICT enabled Local Public Services Reform that is being developed by the local CIO council - at the request of the government CIO council - as a local perspective on the Government ICT Strategy.