[SC.LUG] Crewe-Nantwich ICT Expenditure - a call to arms.

[Andy Roffe]

Hello all,

I am aware that this is the south cheshire lug and not the 
crewe/nantwich lug but this should interest you all.

After a brief one-two with a council official I was informed by crewe 
and natwich borough council that "free
and open source software was not being considered by the council for any 
purpose now or at any time in
the future"
Hmmmm... thinks I. That's a rather sweeping statement. Now, normally  
I'd ignore a statement like this, after all
it is one I hear often and there are enough people taking the opposite 
view these days.

Then I saw my rates bill. Which is effectively just tax. Businesses have 
to pay rates but are not entitled to any services.
Fair enough. But I would like to know how much of my rates go towards 
software licence fees.  So I asked the
deputy mayor.

The deputy mayor pointed us towards the boroughs' website where ICT 
budget is published.
Over the next five years, the Council has budgeted  £1,695,000  for ICT  
expenditure.

Have a look at the 5 year breakdown yourself :
http://www.crewe-nantwich.gov.uk/pdf/yc0780_SECTION_C-Capital_Programme.pdf

ICT is at the top og the second section. You will notice that the annual 
budget decreases over the five years
with biggest slice being spent in 2004/05. Could this be the large 
initial payment required for a 5 year software licence agreement?

So we asked how much of the budget was allocated to software licence 
agreements.

The answer was :
"Please note our Budget is published on our website under" your Council" 
then select "budget" and within that is the "capital programme" which 
identifies the planned ICT Capital Programme.
 We do not give out details to suppliers of the detailed breakdown of 
investment within that budget.
 At times we do tender for software and hard ware so it is for the 
selected suppliers to provide their tendered price."

Which as you can see does not answer the question.

So, why don't we all ask ??

The question is :

"How much of the ICT budget is spent on software licence fees"

Adrress these questions to :

Keith Sutton Head of ICT:  keith.sutton at crewe-nantwich.gov.uk
Mr Maurice Jones Deputy Mayor with authority for spend on IT   
Cllr.Maurice.Jones at crewe-nantwich.gov.uk

Unless of course, you don't believe that Crewe and Nantwich borough 
Council will save any money buy using FOSS software. In which case don't 
bother.
They don't have to replace everything. Maybe just enough to employ a 
road planner who has done the job before.

enjoy.

Andy Roffe