Investment fund to save £64m, say Welsh ministers

25 Nov 10
A £7.3m investment announced today should save the public sector in Wales £14m a year and £64m over the longer term, the Welsh Government has said

By Vivienne Russell

25 November 2010

A £7.3m investment announced today should save the public sector in Wales £14m a year and £64m over the longer term, the Welsh Government has said.

Welsh finance minister Jane Hutt set out details of the invest-to-save funding at the start of Wales’ third summit on public services. Eight projects have been given the green light and will benefit from the funding. They include an electronic purchasing and invoicing system and a shared emergency service control room.

Hutt said: ‘Our invest-to-save fund is a great example of public sector efficiency and innovation that will not only bring savings but lead to improved services.

‘In this difficult financial climate it is even more important that the Assembly Government continues to find ways to help support the drive for greater public sector efficiency and innovation – invest in tried and tested technology is one such way.

‘There are already a great many examples of innovative ways of working across the public services in Wales which not only add value and save money but importantly deliver good quality services for the people of Wales.’

Welsh First Minister Carwyn Jones told the summit that a single broadband network would be rolled out across the public sector in Wales. ‘It will typically save organisations 20% of their broadband costs,’ Jones said.

The network has so far been rolled out in NHS Wales, a number of councils and higher education bodies. The system is cheaper to upgrade, more secure, faster and more reliable, the Welsh Government said. It has saved participating organisations a total of £5m against their baseline costs.

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