Logan City Council will undertake a series of IT upgrades that will improve and strengthen digital capacity, provide value-for-money outcomes for ratepayers and increase cyber security.
As part of council’s focus on being a ‘smart city’, the budget also provides funding to establish a specialised team that will simplify the process of applying for Council’s community grants.
Around $2.7 million is granted each year by council to individuals and organisations to improve their local communities and enhance the natural environment.
The Catapult program, which develops interest in entrepreneurship among students aged 12 to 15, will continue for another two years.
City of Logan Mayor Darren Power said council was committed to putting in place programs to create a bright future for Logan while not forgetting ratepayers’ expectations for value-for-money in budget spending.
The budget allocates $3.3 million over the next year to address the most urgent of the IT upgrades, which will eventually involve 22 different projects.
This expenditure supplements an IT investment of $29.2 million, which is covered by savings and other funding reserves.
“Many of our existing networks, servers and applications have reached end of life,” Councillor Power said.
“In some cases, the providers don’t even service the equipment anymore, and we need to modernise our IT environment urgently to continue delivering vital council services.
“IT upgrades of this size unfortunately are not cheap, but an upgraded IT system, with more modern, cyber-safe technology, will increase efficiency within Council and create a more streamlined service experience for the community.”
