Civica signs $6.3 million Lake Macquarie City Council deal

Software house Civica has announced a $6.3 million, five-year partnership with Lake Macquarie City Council, for the supply its local government software and systems.

The system, known as Authority 7, will help the New South Wales local government council run its operations.

The council, which serves a population of about 200,000, will also make use of Civica’s web-based, mobile-enabled library management system Spydus10, as it enhances its facilities and services in the community.

The move marks part of Lake Macquarie's efforts to transform into a ‘smart city’, with the Civica deal expected to power web-enabled services, mobile compatibility, improved data quality, data security, third party app integration and improved services delivery across several council functions.

The council hopes the partnership will change the way it interacts with the community through modern user interfaces and all-encompassing portals.

“Increased connectivity, heightened usage of mobile devices and popularity of social networks mean that councils have to work beyond the physical walls and traditional working hours. Hence, our systems need to be robust and agile to help us exceed customer expectations,” Lake Macquarie City Council chief information officer Brooke Humphries said.

“Mobility and automation are keys to successful digital transformation. We hope to enhance these capabilities to further our digital and customer service aspirations by collaborating with Civica. Civica will not only deploy an up-to-date solution, but will also train our staff and offer ongoing support to ensure increased service levels and customer engagement.”

Civica international managing director Richard Fiddis said for local governments, digital transformation was no longer an optional move.

“It is a must-have for Australian councils as they focus on driving innovation in their business processes while enhancing community engagement. This makes it imperative for them to have agile and flexible systems that reduce IT complexity while improving service delivery. We are delighted to collaborate with Lake Macquarie City Council on its transformation journey,” he said.