Council buys iPads - to help save £2m on paper costs
A COUNCIL has decided to reduce the amount of money it spends on paper – by buying iPads for its staff.
Stoke-on-Trent City Council will offer both councillors and officers cash to buy the tablet computers – which cost up to £659 – in a bid to reduce its annual paper bill of £85,000.
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The authority believes it could save up to £2 million a year by embarking on a 'paperless journey.'
An internal courier service will also be axed, some photocopiers and printers will be removed, and staff will be instructed to use email instead of posted mail wherever possible.
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The council hopes to have completely banned paper by the time it relocates to its new offices in Hanley in 2015.
However, the plan has been criticised as any savings made on paper will be offset in part by investing in the high-tech iPads, which cost between £399 and £659.
Councillor Dave Conway, leader of the opposition City Independents, said council managers were living in 'cloud cuckoo land.'
He said: "I don't know where we are going with this at a time when nobody has got any money.
"They need to be up front and tell people the real costs.
"I'd also be concerned about them getting lost and into the hands of unscrupulous people.
"We're in cloud cuckoo land."
The Sentinel reported last month how officers lost 20 tablet computers during an office move.
But councillors are adamant the plan will be a success.
City councillor Olwen Hamer, below, cabinet member for transformation and resources, said: "There will be a range of options. One is that if people agree not to use paper there will be a contribution toward iPads.
"We are doing a lot of work on the paperless project including moving towards an electronic postal room, restricting photocopiers and improving the way we scan and file documents."
Deputy leader Paul Shotton added: "We can save £2 million a year just from going paperless – or at least paper-light."
The council is also hoping to cut its £365,000-a-year bill for mail by at least £92,000 after ditching Royal Mail for private firm UK Mail.
Charlie Stewart, the authority's assistant chief executive, said: "We use tonnes and tonnes of paper, literally, and we have to reduce that.
"This is the start of the paperless journey we need to go on.
Residents today raised concerns about the proposal.
Retired secretary Margaret McDonald, aged 69, of Tunstall, said: "I can understand them wanting to use less paper, but why can't they just read their papers and emails on their laptops and computers? It doesn't look good for them to be walking around with hi-tech gadgets when everybody is struggling."
Comments
by KnottyAsh
Thursday, December 13 2012, 9:45PM
“I remember being told many years ago that I should aim to get any job on the council as I would be made for life. If only I had been less cynical and more accepting of my elders' advice back then perhaps I would now be watching Sky TV whilst tapping away on my i thingy. Instead I have spent my working life paying for the workers at all levels in this subsidised environment. Most of them, I fear, would not last five minutes in the private sector and need to wake up before its too late to save the rest of us.”
by Jobeeone
Thursday, December 13 2012, 7:28PM
“My darling warren. I manage without any of that. I speak to 30 carers over an 18 hour period every week and 55 in total over the month with the 30 being weekly another 15 being fortnightly and the rest being monthly unless they need me and then I'm there for them. No excuses. And actually manage to sort out an awful lot of problems just with the power of thought, a land line, pen and scrap paper and then I type up the results on a data base. I speak to neighbours and friends without resorting to anything but a text or the power of inquiry.
I do have a naval but rarely contemplate it since it stopped producing fluff. And for the record no matter what form of communication if you don't fit the box you are on your own. Said to me today by a social worker.”
by Six_Towns
Thursday, December 13 2012, 5:35PM
“Ipads are a toy and are far less versatile than a notebook/netbook or a laptop. Waste of Council tax payers money but hey ho, do you think the Council officers are bothered - not one jot.”
by Cmart29
Thursday, December 13 2012, 4:26PM
“Don't need to say much other than to post this:
http://tinyurl.com/cmanqlb”
by spudder56
Thursday, December 13 2012, 12:36PM
“by stokeandvaleSaturday, December 8 2012, 8:38PM
"GOOD OLD LABOUR!
SPEND, SPEND, SPEND...£50 Million on a new PAD & £2 Million on a new I PAD..What next?"
DONT FORGET THAT TO SPEND SPEND SPEND YOU HAVE TO TAX TAX TAX LABOUR HAVENT CHANGED SINCE HAROLD WILSONS DAYS AND NEVER WILL”
by FredBear
Thursday, December 13 2012, 12:30PM
“Warren
Apple do a corporate rate same as any other computer company. The Sentinel have given a high street price because that's the extent of their research capabilities. Makes the story look juicier if they insinuate all the ipads are top of the range 64GB and cost £600. They come in at about £200 each which is about the same as a decent desktop. They are also more reliable than other pads as apples operating system is far more resilient to viruses.
I'm sorry folks, you've just been stirred up by the Sentinel. This is just an IT department buying the best tool for the job. And it's happening in most companies and councils. It's a non story which is twisted to wind you up.
I'm not saying the council are devoid of any stupidity elsewhere in their management, just that this particular issue isn't really as bad as the Sentinel are having you believe.”
by DJofTNE
Thursday, December 13 2012, 12:09PM
“Why have they done this? They will only lose them”
by warren-lloyd
Thursday, December 13 2012, 11:58AM
“But Fred, with respect, I'm sitting hear on my sofa, with a Kindle Fire, Nokia Lumia 800 and using a Google Nexus, for all 3 it's about £400 tops, and phone will pick up e-mails anywhere.”
by FredBear
Thursday, December 13 2012, 11:36AM
“THETROJAN
That's just judgemental and totally subjective. There's no reason why councillors would waste more time pratting about on facebook than anybody in any job. It's probably exactly the same as in any company, in fact, IT departments in councils are pretty hot on that kind of thing because they are overloaded with bureaucracy and policies. So you'll probably find it's far less.
Certainly with our council and I can't see why it would be different with Stoke, the pads are given to officers who work out of the office for most of the time and go to meetings with the community. It's far more efficient than taking notes, returning to the office and typing the notes up. Things get done, requested, emailed, bought, stopped there and then.
I'm sorry, but this is the future of all business whether it be council or not. Pretending this advancement in tech is just some kind of luxury is completely Luddite.”
by THETROJON
Wednesday, December 12 2012, 5:01PM
“to fredbear
taking on board your comment...but just how many will be working remotely and not at a desk? justify it and its plausible.... but bet my bottom dollar...most of them will be sitting at their desks... using Ipad in between playing games on Facebook... that sounds cynical...but they certainly arent concentrating on council matters!”