Bath and North East Somerset Council powers up with iManage Cloud
We’re thrilled to announce Bath & North East Somerset Council (B&NES) is making the leap to the cloud! After over 25 years of using our desktop version of iManage to maintain its Local Land and Property Gazetteer (LLPG) and Local Street Gazetteer (LSG), B&NES is migrating to iManage Cloud, our next-generation gazetteer management system.
For many years, the Council has upheld the prestigious Platinum quality data standard from GeoPlace, and this move reflects its ongoing commitment to excellence and innovation.
But what’s driving the switch? We caught up with Martin Laker, GIS Team Leader at B&NES, who shared that this isn’t just about following a trend:
“It’s not specifically part of a wider cloud-first strategy, although that is our IT direction of travel,” Martin explained. “We’re moving to iManage Cloud because it frees us from relying on internal IT services for installs, upgrades, and data updates. It makes us more self-sufficient, with Idox handling all updates and upgrades in real time.”
We’re moving to iManage Cloud because it frees us from relying on internal IT services for installs, upgrades, and data updates. It makes us more self-sufficient, with Idox handling all updates and upgrades in real time.
Martin Laker
GIS Team Leader at Bath and North East Somerset Council
What’s new in iManage Cloud?
B&NES has actively engaged in our product development journey and is particularly excited about some of the enhanced features that come with it:
- Multi-editing tools that enable property and street editing in bulk — perfect for managing the surge in student accommodation and apartment complexes.
- The brand-new Additional Street Data (ASD) geometry tool, designed to add precision and clarity to map-based data. This isn’t just a win for the Council — utility companies who rely on this data will benefit hugely as well.
Mapping history to protect the future
Bath isn’t just a place — it’s an UNESCO World Heritage Site, famed for its Roman Baths and Georgian architecture. But those beautiful old buildings bring modern-day challenges. Many of the Georgian homes have deep cellars extending under roads, and the historic hot water drain from the Roman Baths snakes its way beneath the city streets.
Traditionally, this kind of hidden infrastructure was only described in text. After the migration to iManage Cloud, the new geometry capabilities will enable the Council to visualise these underground features on a map, helping to avoid costly — and potentially dangerous — mistakes during roadworks.
“Being able to map these features will help prevent damage and even avoid accidents, like someone digging into the Roman drain and getting scalded,” Martin added.
Better tools, smarter working
iManage Cloud offers an intuitive, browser-based experience that removes the need for MapInfo licences and enables remote access from anywhere. The system’s wizard-driven processes and smart features are designed to save time, reduce errors, and boost productivity.
So, what were Martin’s top three reasons for making the move?
“First, it eliminates our dependency on IT. Second, being browser-based, it gives us total flexibility. And third, it’s going to save both us and IT time and money – that’s a win across the board.”
What’s Next?
B&NES is gearing up to go live with iManage Cloud in July, and we can’t wait to check back in early next year to share how it’s transformed the Council’s operations.
Want to see what iManage Cloud can do for your organisation? Get in touch with one of our experts today to explore how we can help you deliver better services while driving efficiency.
