Business Need

Recognising that ICT is a critical enabler of service delivery, a Local Government Authority (LGA) undertook a strategic review of its ICT infrastructure and services. The objective was to develop a five-year ICT strategy and implementation plan that would provide a clear, structured approach to managing ICT resources—ensuring they effectively support the delivery of local government services and align with community priorities.

Additionally, the newly appointed CEO sought assurance that the LGA’s ICT investment was appropriate and delivering value for money for ratepayers. With a strong track record in ICT strategic planning across both public and private sectors, Frame was selected to conduct the review and develop the strategy.

Outcome

As a result of Frame’s strategic review, the LGA now has a comprehensive understanding of the current state of its ICT infrastructure and services. In addition, Frame developed a detailed roadmap to ensure the strategy is practical, cost-effective, and aligned with the CEO’s strategic and operational objectives.

The strategy equips the LGA with the tools and metrics needed to optimise ICT resources, manage expenditure more effectively, and drive productivity improvements across council operations. Senior managers now have greater clarity on the value of ICT assets and the level of resource utilisation across the organisation.

Key recommendations within the strategy include:

    • Implementing strong ICT governance practices to enhance decision-making and accountability.
    • Establishing well-defined service-level agreements (SLAs) in contracts for outsourced services.
    • Strengthening ICT service continuity and disaster recovery planning to ensure operational resilience in emergencies.
    • Anticipating the impact of emerging and disruptive technologies and positioning the LGA to proactively leverage these advancements rather than react to them.

Frame also conducted an in-depth review of cloud and as-a-service models, integrating opportunities for these solutions into the roadmap for consideration within the strategic plan’s lifecycle. Additionally, guidance was provided on BYOD policies and social media governance.

Significantly, the review identified several high-risk vulnerabilities that, if exploited, could have led to major financial and reputational damage. Frame’s recommendations for remediation were swiftly actioned, delivering immediate and unforeseen benefits to the LGA.

To maintain the strategy’s relevance, Frame has established an annual review process and will facilitate this for the next four years. This ensures the LGA remains proactive in its ICT management, effectively leveraging cloud services, BYOD, and other key initiatives.

What Frame Did

Frame’s strategic review of the LGA’s ICT infrastructure and services included a gap analysis against international standards and industry best practices. Key areas of focus included:

    • Business Systems & Applications – Led to the recommendation of an ITIL toolset to improve ICT service management.
    • Infrastructure & Technology – Identified opportunities to enhance ICT resilience through targeted improvements.
    • Partnerships & Shared Services – Recommended enhanced service-level agreements and improved reporting mechanisms.
    • Security Policies – Advised on alignment with ISO standards where applicable to strengthen cybersecurity posture.
    • ICT Workforce Capabilities – Assessed roles and responsibilities against SFIA (Skills Framework for the Information Age) standards, providing high-level recommendations for capability development and training.

Based on these assessments, stakeholder consultations, and an evaluation of the LGA’s current ICT investment, Frame delivered:

    • A new ICT governance structure, including terms of reference for the ICT board.
    • A five-year strategic ICT and business process roadmap.
    • A prioritised roadmap of strategic and tactical ICT initiatives.
    • A revised business case framework for introducing and updating ICT services.
    • Guidance for information management.
    • Documented ICT change, capacity, asset management, and lifecycle processes.

Through this strategic approach, the LGA is now well-positioned to manage its ICT investment with confidence, ensuring it delivers sustainable, cost-effective, and future-ready digital services for its community.