City of York Council has extended its contract with internet of things and networking company North to support is corporate estate and schools.
They have agreed on a new 10-year, £7 million managed service contract – the second deal between them – with the aim of future proofing the council’s facilities and enabling faster and secure access to digital services.
It will involve installing a range of security measures across the council’s network, the provision of faster and more flexible Wi-Fi and new digital tools to monitor internal and external threats.
North said this will enable the council’s 27 schools to improve their learning environments and operate more efficiently, and improve security within corporate workplaces.
Supporting transformation
Cllr Nigel Ayre, executive member for finance and performance at City of York Council, said: “Our digital infrastructure has transformed multiple council services, improving efficiency, effectiveness and informed decision making. It helped us to very quickly adapt to the pandemic, allowing us to continue working in a secure way, as we supported residents and businesses whilst having to work from home.
“York’s connectivity is helping to attract investment and jobs to the city, is supporting the city’s recovery from the pandemic and helping us to address 21st century city challenges with innovative smart technology. This has seen us use technology to help us tackle challenges in a wide range of areas transport, social care and make the city an even better place to live and work.
“This long term investment will help to further improve council services and we look forward to continuing our innovative work with North in the months and years ahead.”
Mark Lowe, business development director at North, said: “North will ensure the most advanced infrastructure is established across the City of York’s estate and local schools, facilitating a hybrid working approach that fits the needs of the Council for years to come, while enhancing the education environment for pupils.”
