IT staff at Swansea Council have been transferred to Capgemini as part of a controversial £83m e-government outsourcing project designed to modernise the way the council provides its public services.

As part of the first phase, Capgemini intends to overhaul the council's existing IT systems and working practices as part of an "integrated programme of business process re-engineering and technology transformation".

This will be followed up with a new call centre and access to local authority services via the net.

As part of the deal about 60 of Swansea Council's IT staff have been transferred to Capgemini armed with promises that their employment conditions and pension rights will be protected.

The council's plans to outsource its IT systems as part of its service@swansea e-government scheme was the subject of a bitter eight-week strike in 2004.

Workers wanted to ensure their employment and pension rights would not be affected by the deal. Despite ongoing negotiations, tensions between the two sides continued, with some workers still concerned that the promises made by the council could not be guaranteed.

Last month, the UK Government reported that local councils in the UK have moved to a "24/7 culture" after making almost all of their services "e-enabled".

"Residents can now access services and information at any time - even on Christmas Day! - as councils have now moved to a twenty-four-seven culture," said the UK Government in a statement. ®

Related stories

CapGemini plans layoffs to win £40m renewal (5 March 2007)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/03/05/capgemini_matalan/
Swansea councillors don't like outsourced IT (26 February 2007)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/02/26/swansea_it_fallout/
Barnsley teams with Bull (13 July 2006)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/07/13/barnsley_bull_partnership/
Brummies snub privatisation (6 April 2006)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/04/06/birmingham_snubs_tupe/
Birmingham Council signs 'unique' deal (4 April 2006)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/04/04/birmingham_signs_capita/
Rochdale outsources IT in £200m deal (14 March 2006)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/03/14/rochdale_outsources_it/
Swindon goes large on outsourcing (20 January 2006)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/01/20/swindon_seeks_mega_outsourcer/
The outsourcing commandments (5 January 2006)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/01/05/outsourcing_offshore_development/
Swansea IT workers fear job losses (17 October 2005)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/10/17/swansea_jobs/
Wales sold on online procurement (10 October 2005)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/10/10/wales_auction_procurement/
Swansea IT workers lose outsourcing fight (14 April 2005)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/04/14/swansea_capgemini/
Swansea IT staff warn of 'done deal' (11 April 2005)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/04/11/swansea_strike/
Capgemini picked for Swansea eGov project (17 December 2004)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/12/17/swansea_picks_capgemini_for_egov/
Cap Gemini cuts jobs (9 November 2004)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/11/09/capgem_cuts_jobs/
Swansea IT strike action off (26 October 2004)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/10/26/swansea_it_strike/
Swansea IT workers return to work (7 October 2004)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/10/07/swansea_strike/
ACAS to mediate in Swansea IT strike (16 September 2004)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/09/16/acas_swansea_strike/
5,000 Swansea workers to vote on IT strike (10 September 2004)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/09/10/swansea_strike_ransom/
1,000 workers rally behind Swansea IT strikers (8 September 2004)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/09/08/strike_swansea_unison/
Swansea IT strikers go marching on (7 September 2004)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/09/07/swansea_it_strike/
5000 Swansea staff to vote on strike (26 August 2004)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/08/26/swansea_strike/
Swansea IT strikers reject 'sabotage' claim (23 August 2004)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/08/23/swansea_strike_council/
Bin men walk out in support of Swansea IT strike (20 August 2004)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/08/20/swansea_it_strike/
Swansea IT striker speaks out (18 August 2004)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/08/18/swansea_strike/
IT staff strike 'indefinitely' in Swansea (16 August 2004)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/08/16/it_strike_swansea/
Swansea IT staff to strike over outsourcing deal (4 August 2004)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/08/04/swansea_it_strike/
Swansea IT jobs are 'safe', says council (12 July 2004)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/07/12/swansea_outsourced/
Swansea Council IT staff threaten strike over outsourcing (7 July 2004)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/07/07/swansea_strike_vote/