Council Signs Major ICT Contract With Fujitsu

15th March 2010

The Highland Council has now signed a major new contract with Fujitsu for Information Communication and Technology Services over the next five years. The £66 million contract will take effect from1 April.

As part of their bid, Fujitsu is establishing a North of Scotland ICT centre of excellence in Inverness and will be moving from their current base within Council headquarters in Inverness.

Councillor Carolyn Wilson, Chairman of the Resources Committee, said: "This new contract will offer the Council and staff a number of exciting opportunities for new, improved and flexible ways of working in the future and allow significant investment in new ICT systems and infrastructure for both corporate and school curriculum ICT. It will deliver significant efficiency savings - £6.76 million over the next five years - and cut the carbon footprint of the Council through reduced carbon emissions and energy consumption."

Councillor Bill Fernie, Chairman of the Education Culture And Sport Committee said:"The new contract embraces the it services for the education of our children across Highland and many new advances will be seen in our schools which will bring many advantages in both the efficient delivery and our ability to share knowledge. There will be many advances under the new contract which will be beneficial to teachers and students puttting Highland at the forefront in the use of IT in schools, libraries and other council premises."

Eithne Wallis CB, Managing Director, UK Government Business, Fujitsu comments: "Our true desire to want to make a difference for the people working and living in the Highlands helped us get to the point we are at. We are all thoroughly looking forward to the next five years and the opportunities, including sustaining and growing local employment and local skills develop, and through our commitment to a major Community Benefits programme with the Council."

Seated signing the contract Eithne Wallis, Managing Director, UK Government Business, Fujitsu and Cllr David Alston, behind are Councillors Martin Rattray and Bill Fernie.