Building Schools for the Future programme support
The project issues
South Tyneside and Gateshead Councils are the sole remaining partnership scheme in Wave 1 of the Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme. Uniquely the scheme also includes the local PCT as part of the proposed Local Education Partnership (LEP).
A major challenge for the programme was the very different nature of the current ICT arrangements across the scheme and the phasing and different size of the scheme in the two authorities.
There was also a need for the existing in house skills and capacity around ICT to be augmented in order to meet the needs of the programme in a timely fashion.
The Socitm Consulting solution
Bringing our experience from other schemes we were able to assist the authority in arriving at a sensible approach to ICT across the scheme that recognised the differing needs of all parties concerned whilst not detracting from the aims and benefits of procuring a single LEP that fully incorporated ICT.
We also supported the client in the development of their Strategic and Outline Business Cases (SBC & OBC), including gateway reviews, with particular focus on assistance with soft market testing, affordability modelling and school engagement.
The STaG scheme received OBC approval from PRG in May 2006 and procurement of the LEP is now under way. The OJEU notice was dispatched in late June.
The benefits to the client
Faced with a unique and challenging project, with some very specific issues that needed to be resolved in order for the overall programme to remain on schedule, STaG was able to call on expert assistance in arriving at a sensible and pragmatic way forward that was in keeping with its overall objectives whilst satisfying the particular needs of all parties concerned. With its extensive experience of ICT strategy development and procurement, and its close involvement with many other BSF Wave 1 and 2 authorities, Socitm Consulting was able to assist STaG in successfully navigating its way through the initial SBC and OBC aspects of the programme and establishing a solid foundation upon which to build its BSF programme.
Project identification
Client organisation: South Tyneside & Gateshead Councils (STaG)
Client contact: Alison McKinnon, Project Co-ordinator, alisonmckinnon@gateshead.gov.uk, 0191 433 2740
Lead consultant: karen.reddy@socitmconsulting.co.uk
Project no: 5435
