Esteem Systems Assists Halton BC Implement Government Initiatives
8 January 2004
Esteem Systems, one of the UK’s leading IT systems solutions providers, has won a contract worth over £150k with Halton Borough Council to provide consultancy, installation and project management services on a IT infrastructure project designed to improve social services for the Council and assist with meeting Government deadlines.
The project comes as a result of the Government’s Supporting People programme, which aims to help people live independent lives through housing related support services. The strict targets and objectives laid out as part of the programme have resulted in many of the major social care software vendors rewriting their software. This in turn has forced Halton Borough Council to review its IT infrastructure, as the specification needed to run new CareFirst software exceeds the capabilities of its existing PCs.
Halton Borough Council approached Esteem to find a solution to its problem and assist with achieving the new e-Government deadline in a cost effective manor. Ideally, the Council wanted to avoid the expense of replacing all aging PCs and that of a complete move to thin-client working.
Esteem, a Citrix Platinum Partner, recommended a Microsoft Active Directory domain structure and Citrix terminal servers to deliver all the Council’s existing applications to users. By utilising Server-based Computing, the Council would not have to replace all its PCs or move completely over to thin-client working as all processing of applications would occur at the server and applications would be delivered via Citrix’s web browser - Web Interface - using Citrix MetaFrame XPe.
Once the project has been completed, Halton BC is expected to benefit from centralised management, long term cost savings and flexible working options from any site. The Council will also benefit from the extension of applications to field workers and secure access for the authority’s elected members.
Halton Borough Council’s Operational Director for ICT Services, Geoff Venables, said: “The new infrastructure solution will enable us to react quickly to changes in Government initiatives and deadlines.
“We are confident that with Esteem working alongside us, the Council will be able to keep up to date with developments and continue to be proactive in our approach to new technology.”
If you require any further information, please contact our Press Officer on 01937 861000 or e-mail on press@esteem.co.uk
