Coalition Government appoints former CIO to help cut costs.

Even as a critical friend of the new coalition government my approval of initiatives has so far been restrained to nodding acceptance. After 7 weeks in the new government has come up with something I find very encouraging, and is a step in the direction of something I passionately believe in, and have campaigned for.

"I have long believed that IT can deliver better public services at a lower cost".

Now this may not be the perception from the public who has been given the impression that IT is a colossal waste of money and invariably fails. Of course there have been high profile government IT failures and having worked in both Public and Private sector IT I have a pretty shrewd idea where some of the issues lie.

After-all if IT had failed to deliver any benefits to the commercial sector the industry would have died out sometime in the mid 1950's and would have been seen as a passing fad.*

Today The Register reported that the new government has appointed Ian Watmore the former givernment CIO to become the head of the new Efficiency and Reform Group - I see this as a massive step in the right direction.

The Cabinet Office said Watmore will work with the chief secretary to the Treasury, Danny Alexander, at tackling waste looking for efficiencies in ICT, procurement, project management, property and HR.

* Note - My careers advisor when I was taking my A Levels who doubled up as a French teacher told me not to go into IT as it was only a passing phase and soon the bubble would burst. Advice I remember to this day.