Press release

IDOX group announces strategic partnership with Kirona Solutions to provide mobile solutions to local government

Published 18 February 2009

  • First time collaboration between IDOX group and Kirona Solutions
  • Strategic partnership to increase efficiency for field based local authority workers

IDOX group (AIM:IDOX), the leading developer and supplier of software solutions and information services to local government, today announced a strategic partnership with Kirona Solutions to provide enterprise mobile solutions to its local authority customers.

IDOX group and Kirona, an innovative software company dedicated to delivering intelligent mobile solutions across both public and private sectors, will combine to help local authorities achieve the next level of efficiency gains whilst providing a foundation for increased job satisfaction and staff retention.

Richard Kellett-Clarke, IDOX group CEO said:

"This strategic partnership with Kirona will revolutionise the capabilities of remote local authority workers by providing a truly integrated enterprise mobile solution, boosting their productivity and extracting more value from tax-payer's money."

Kirona has extensive expertise of developing and delivering a wide range of mobile solutions whilst IDOX group's UNI-form and Plantech back-office solutions are currently deployed in approximately 330 local authorities. All solutions will be fully supported by components such as dashboard scheduling, messaging and lone worker safety.

David Murray, Kirona Solutions Managing Director commented:

"We are delighted to be working with IDOX group in these very exciting times. It is clear from our discussions with IDOX group that we share a common vision as to how intelligent mobile solutions are able to support local government in delivering their efficiency objectives in numerous areas as well as improving the nature of the work undertaken by field officers and providing a much higher level of health, safety and security."

The use of intelligent mobile solutions for field workers is essential as local authorities are under ever increasing pressures to deliver services in the most efficient manner possible. Specifically, they are increasingly expected to deliver high quality services whilst reducing accommodation, fuel and other costs.

Today's mobile solutions must meet the requirements of the local authority by supporting multiple communication protocols and devices, provide a viable operating solution where there is little or no network coverage, supplying management information and meeting increasing health, safety and security requirements.

Andy Riley, IDOX group Sales Director added:

"With the advent of the Gershon Efficiency Review, Hampton Review and subsequent initiatives such as the BERR Retail Enforcement Pilot, we felt it was essential to offer a best-of-breed solution based on the knowledge of our clients and their business, and Kirona's expertise in delivering proven mobile solutions.

Local authorities are demanding truly enterprise mobile solutions from a single supplier rather than point-to-point applications from multiple suppliers.

Our partnership with Kirona will allow our customers to acquire, directly from IDOX group, a comprehensive enterprise mobile solution that we believe provides the best flexibility and value-for-money in the market."

For more information, please contact:

College Hill
Andy Achimu
e: andy.achimu@collegehill.com
t: +44 20 7457 2040
m: 07730524580

Belinda Morris
e: belinda.morris@collegehill.com
t: +44 207 457 2020
m: 07917178860

Notes to Editors

About IDOX group - IDOX group is a leading developer and supplier of software solutions and information services to local government. Over 70% of UK local authorities use IDOX Group tools to access and manage information, documents, business processes and workflow as well as web-based services for planning applications and public information.

From standalone solutions for individual functions through to integrated corporate solutions, the company's market leading IDOX, UNI-form and Plantech portfolio delivers improved data quality, stream-lined information-sharing, enhanced employee productivity and increased responsiveness to the public.

IDOX group is headquartered in London, United Kingdom with offices in Glasgow and Newbury.

About Kirona Solutions Ltd - Kirona Solutions Ltd are an innovative software company focused on delivering Intelligent Mobile software & Integration solutions to customers. With 150+ Local Government customers spanning all the major service areas, Kirona are unique in providing the only truly Enterprise Mobile Platform for Local Government organisations. Customers gain efficiency savings and improved service to their customers through the adoption of such solutions.

Kirona's reputation for differential investment in their customers and partners is well established. From the point of initial engagement with prospective customers, through solutions design, implementation, training and support, Kirona invest more in the provision of expert staff to assist customers at every stage in the process.
Kirona fundamentally do not believe that quality software alone is good enough and that what counts is that customers are able to realise and prove that their investment in mobile solutions has delivered real and tangible efficiencies. (more info: www.kirona.com)

Gershon Efficiency Review - Sir Sir Peter Gershon was commissioned in 2003 by central government to undertake an independent review to assess how the public sector could exploit opportunities for efficiency savings, so that resources could be released for front-line public service delivery. As a result the Gershon Efficiency programme was about raising productivity and enhancing value for money and efficiency gains were to be achieved through reforms that involved 'Doing the same for less or more for the same'. All council's were set an efficiency target by the Government of 2.5% a year until 2008.

Hampton Review - published in 2005, the Hampton review considered the scope for reducing administrative burdens by promoting more efficient approaches to regulatory inspection and enforcement, without compromising regulatory standards or outcomes. Since the review was published a number of initiatives have been launched aimed at providing a more consistent and efficient approach to inspection and enforcement.

Retail Enforcement Pilot - one such initiative is the Retail Enforcement Pilot (REP) launched by the Department of Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR). REP aims to increase the efficiency of inspections by promoting joined-up working among regulators within:

  • Health and safety
  • Alcohol licensing
  • Trading standards
  • Environmental health
  • Fire safety.

By using mobile technology and sharing data, regulators can pass on the intelligence they generate in each area. This information helps them assess how well different businesses manage risk. Regulators can then distinguish between well-run organisations and those most at risk, performing poorly or trading illegally – and so target efforts where they are needed the most.