Manukau City Council's vision for its future wins international award

Manukau City Council has joined a select group of organisations from around the world by becoming one of 204 Computerworld Honors Laureates for 2004.

Council was nominated for its vision and innovation in the application of information technology to enhance organisational capability to improve quality of life and service for its citizens. Its strategy 'Tomorrow's Council' - the knowledge-led council, includes concepts of integrated data, information sharing and a knowledgeable workforce. Its world-leading use of PeopleSoft technology to accomplish this will provide opportunities for greater city and community wisdom, and enable our communities to achieve their aspirations of progress, prosperity and pride.

Each year, the 100-member Computerworld Honors Chairmen's Committee identifies organisations around the world whose use of information technology is especially noteworthy for originality of conception, breadth of vision, and significance to society. The Committee comprises CEOs of the world's leading information and technology companies.

This nomination gives Council the added confidence that it is on the right track and must continue with its mammoth overhaul of its data and technology systems. Also, it means that the Council is now a world reference site for PeopleSoft applications in local government. "In effect, Manukau City Council is now positioned at the leading edge of worldwide best practice in this area," says Wayne Goodley, Director City Services.

Having only just begun the process of data cleansing and information re-organisation, Council is still in the early stages of its journey to Tomorrow's Council. Cleansed data and knowledge systems will enable the Council to better align with e-government initiatives and open up its information to all its citizens. "This will enable us to make better, more informed decisions, which will result in a better service to our communities," says Mr Goodley.

The Business Transformation Project (BTP) is just one of three strategies for achieving a knowledge-led council. Currently, the BTP is going-live through a series of staged rollouts. This component alone means that by December this year the Council will have completed the most extensive business improvement programme in its 40-year history. The other two strategies are greater regional engagement, and alliances and partnerships with central and regional government and the private sector.

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