Barnsley’s Council Chambers leading the way with ict active
Barnsley Council’s new offices in Westgate Plaza One have become one of the first properties in the country to gain ict active “leading edge” accreditation.
ict active “leading edge” status proves that, as well as providing an effective ICT (Information and Communication Technology) infrastructure for its occupants, a building also offers state-of-the-art value added facilities such as video conferencing. Only one other building, The Quadrant in Sheffield, has achieved the top level of this pioneering standard.
Features such as disaster recovery facilities, high speed managed internet and free wireless internet for visitors all helped Westgate Plaza One to achieve its “leading edge” status.
Commenting on Westgate Plaza One’s success, Councillor Steve Houghton, Leader of Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council, said: “Barnsley is a town that is moving forward and schemes like ict active help with that. It is good for the town and it matches our ICT agenda.”
It is hoped that Westgate Plaza One will be the first of many of the high quality properties that are springing up around Barnsley to become accredited.
Steve Wragg, Deputy Chair of Barnsley Development Agency, and Vice President of Barnsley Chamber of Commerce, believes that Westgate Plaza One’s accreditation will spur other buildings on.
“This property is the first with the set-up and facilities that all buildings should have,” he commented. “It will be an exemplar building that we hope other properties will aim to match.”
To gain ict active accreditation, Barnsley Council Chamber had to undergo a thorough technical survey which looked at all aspects of its ICT infrastructure.
Although only two properties have received the exclusive “leading edge” status, another eighteen properties across South Yorkshire have now received the standard ict active accreditation, including Barnsley’s Digital Media Centre.
Any business property in South Yorkshire can undergo an ict active assessment and make their ICT infrastructure a major selling point. Thanks to Objective 1 financial backing through Yorkshire Forward and Business Link South Yorkshire, anyone who signs up by June 2008 will have their survey free of charge.
The prestigious accreditation reinforces South Yorkshire’s status as one of the best places in the country for business. Alongside the region’s central location and excellent infrastructure, the ict active award is yet another sign that areas such as Barnsley are the ideal location for many companies.
For more information about ict active, visit the website at www.ictactive.net or call 0845 111 4122.
ENDS
Photo caption: Barnsley Council Chamber celebrates becoming ict active “leading edge”. (L-R Steve Wragg, Deputy Chair of Barnsley Development Agency, and Vice President of Barnsley Chamber of Commerce; Councillor Steve Houghton, Leader of Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council and Councillor Tim Cheetham, Cabinet Spokesperson for Corporate Services.)
