Local authority revamps IT systems to improve services.

This article reports that Thurrock Council is hoping that new information technology (IT) systems will improve the services it provides to its 147,000 citizens. The Essex council signed a £427m, 15-year services contract with vendor Vertex Inc. in April 2006. Under the terms of that deal, Vertex will install £10m worth of new technology products. Thurrock Council managing director David White said the deal should improve quality and responsiveness. Vertex will upgrade many of Thurrock's IT systems, and install finance software from Oracle alongside a new customer relationship system and street management software.