[Fsfe-uk] Fwd: Open Source Motion

[Tom Chance]

Dear all,

The below may be of interest. See Chris' introductory note, they had hoped
to use the description 'free software' but it's progress for Norwich
nonetheless.

Regards,
Tom


---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Cotton, Christopher
Date: 30 June 2010 15:43
Subject: Open Source Motion


 Hi,
We had the following motion passed unanimously by council last night. It's
not the most radical thing we could have proposed, but we're fairly happy
that it's on the agenda and we have a springboard to really push Open Source
in the council. I know it's many months since I asked for advice on this,
but thanks for your help.

Chris

   *Motion – ICT Open Source Software*

      Councillor Makoff to move:-

      ‘The recently published "Open Source, Open Standards and Re-Use:
      Government Action Plan" builds on existing policy for government
departments
      to use open source software wherever it offers the best value
for money and
      states that "where there is no significant overall cost
difference between
      open and non open source products, open source will be selected
on the basis
      of its additional inherent flexibility.

   Council,

   *RESOLVES* to ask the Executive:-
    1. as part of the Strategic ICT Review agreed in this year's budget, to
            consider whether any of the software currently used within
the Council could
            be replaced with better value for money open source alternatives;

         (2)     to review policy and options on ICT procurement including:-


·       how to ensure that systems procured are able to adapt to
unforeseen changes and advances in technology;

   1       making it a requirement to assess the opportunities to use open
               source software, including the potential benefits, in a
Total Cost of
               Ownership assessment;

               2       the opportunities to the local economy that arise
               from using software that can be modified by local IT
workers rather than
               being restricted to modification by large companies elsewhere;

               3       whether the upgrade and exit/replacement cost of
               current proprietary systems could or should be included
as a liability on
               the relevant Council balance sheets.’


*Chris Cotton,*
Political Assistant to the Green Party Group,
Norwich City Council,
Norwich NR2 1NH
Tel (01603) 21*2969*
address@hidden

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