"the specialists in local authority smartcard solutions"
Bracknell Forest Council have been announced as one of the finalists in this year’s e-Government National Awards. The highly sought-after awards recognise excellence across eleven categories, highlighting the UK’s top public sector innovators in the use of technology, enabling businesses and citizens to better communicate with councils, central government, NHS and other public sector organisations.
SmartCitizen have been selected to assist the London Borough of Barking & Dagenham as they implement their innovative Streetbase Connect Youth Card scheme.
The card, being launched by Barking and Dagenham Council and NHS Barking and Dagenham, will give users access to health, leisure, youth and library services across the area and will also be used to access school meals.
SmartCitizen Ltd are pleased to offer a package solution for TCAs who are seeking an alternative to issuing travel cards using the DfT's framework.
Using the SmartConnect Card Management System and associated products, SmartCitizen can offer all aspects of travel scheme management including:
SmartConnect has been specifically designed with local authorities in mind. It takes into consideration processes and policies that are key to local authorities but are otherwise ignored by the private sector. It is already in use in local authorities around the country including Bolton, Bracknell, Caerphilly, Cambridgeshire, London Borough of Hillingdon, Milton Keynes and Sunderland.
The ODPM has already invested £4.2 million in the product, and Bracknell Forest Council, as custodians of the software, are able to ensure its continued support and development.
SmartConnect has been designed to incorporate relevant standards at every level, from card structures and protocols, up to government requirements for data interchange. This gives TCAs protection against implementing a proprietary system which would contravene government standards and preclude any cross-boundary working.
The software meets all the criteria identified by the Department for Transport in its April 2007 Bulletin 5 concerning data capture for Concessionary Fares. It is able to accept imports from any existing database used to store concessionary travel data. It also provides TCAs with the perfect platform for issuing multi-application smartcards if / when the time arises.
In June 2008 Bracknell Forest Council simplified smartcard scheme implementation for local authorities by awarding SmartCitizen a contract for SmartConnect software support services.
Because Bracknell Forest has already followed a full EU procurement for the provision of SmartConnect support services, any other local authority can now contract directly with BFC without needing to complete a long and expensive tendering process. It can do this because, subject to an authority’s own financial and contract regulations, it will be able to demonstrate Best Value. Local authorities can therefore quickly establish a smartcard scheme which is comprehensive, reliable and offers value for money.
For more information on contracting with Bracknell Forest contact Vincent Paliczka, Director of Environment and Leisure, Bracknell Forest Council on 01344 351750 OR Jayne Ward, SmartCard Development Manager, Bracknell Forest Council on 01344 351998.
For more information on SmartConnect, click here or visit the SmartConnect website
For a discussion on how SmartConnect could meet your needs, contact:
Simon Bennetts, Technical Director on 01872 250161 or email simon.bennetts@smartcitizen.net