Image source: GMCA Digital
A new partnership has been set up to provide stronger digital connectivity to public sector organizations across Greater Manchester.
It was formed to deliver the Greater Manchester One Network (GM One Network) – which forms Greater Manchester’s Local Full Fiber Network – as a single infrastructure for public services in the city region.
These include Stockport, Oldham, Rochdale and Bury Councils, Transport for Greater Manchester, Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue, and the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA).
They will work with Cisco and Engage ESM to provide data connections to more than 1,300 public sites including schools, community centers, fire stations and traffic control signals.
Cisco will design, implement, and operate the GM One Network, while Engage ESM will work with it to design and integrate ServiceNow IT service management with Cisco management tools. It aims to provide a front end for case and request generation and to manage workflow and related data across different systems.
The solution will also provide GMCA with an infrastructure to support event management.
Additional suppliers are expected to be announced in the coming months.
Do things once
GMCA Digital said the creation of the GM One Network supports Greater Manchester’s ambition to become a world class digital city-region and is an example of a ‘do things once’ approach, which aims to deliver cost savings and improvements service by streamlining systems and reducing waste.
Mayor Andy Burnham said: “This is a huge achievement for Greater Manchester’s public sector and really shows the value of collaboration. By transforming our public services we strengthen our towns and cities, strengthening our position as a leading digital-city-region in the world.
“Ensuring our services are better supports our ambition that everyone in Greater Manchester, regardless of their age, location or situation, can benefit from the opportunities digital brings.”
The initiative also includes a multi-year social value programme, including support for start-up businesses in Greater Manchester to create new products and services to support communities. This includes business mentoring, co-development of new products and university-led research.
Value to society
Other commitments include creating apprenticeship and mentoring opportunities across the region and efforts to tackle the digital divide in Greater Manchester, such as through the Greater Manchester Databank.
Cllr Eamonn O’Brien, GMCA portfolio lead for education, skills, employment, apprenticeships and digital, said: “For our people, having the right infrastructure in place can remove social barriers, economic and public sector reform objectives. It is great that once again, our partnerships with the private sector include strong commitments to social value, which will be of real benefit to our people across the region.”
Public sector infrastructures and networks have not changed much in the last 25 years, however, the amount of interconnectivity between public sector organizations has increased as we work more closely together, making it a vital and important GM One Network project for our region.
Adele Every, head of public sector for Cisco UK and Ireland, said: “The GM One Network will enable new ways of working; it will underpin how public sector organizations deliver services in Greater Manchester, supporting collaboration across the public sector and above all, beyond technology, creating an ecosystem to develop skills and programs that will ensure that everyone in Greater Manchester will benefit from. ”