UK council delivers taxpayer value and workforce flexibility with secure, remote network access

The challenge — secure, remote access for a flexible, responsive workforce

Warrington Borough Council (WBC), a unitary authority in the northwest of England, provides a full range of local government services, including council tax billing, social services, processing planning applications, waste collection and disposal. It is also a local education authority. WBC’s existing Juniper SA VPN technology and RSA two-factor authentication were up for replacement. The council put out a tender brief, inviting vendors to propose new technology to deliver secure, selective access to their network for third-party associates. With many third-party partners supporting council operations, remote access to relevant areas of the network is increasingly important for communication and productivity. Initially, the council required 100 licenses, with the potential to scale the number to fit changing demand. They wanted to deploy a solution in a short timeframe, and for ongoing management to be easy after implementation.

The approach — VPN technology plus expert deployment and support

WBC market-tested the proposed technologies to assess potential solutions objectively. Pulse Secure Appliance (PSA) software emerged as the best fit for the council’s needs, and DXC Technology won the 3-year contract to deploy and maintain it. The deal delivered value with built-in software and service support from DXC.

The solution — an efficient transition with minimal disruption

The DXC team seamlessly transitioned the council’s network to Pulse PSA in a 2-day, on-site implementation project with minimal interruption to user services. One hundred licenses were successfully provisioned. The delivery team worked smoothly with WBC staff to make the changes and ensure that all needs were met. Now, the council can provide reliable and secure VPN access for its entire direct and indirect workforce, making remote and mobile working easier. This helps WBC provide a more responsive, streamlined and efficient service to customers. For example, productivity isn’t affected if bad weather or travel disruptions prevent staff from coming into the office. “I was really impressed with how DXC was able to implement our remote access solution — no impact to our customers, and no complaints either,” says David Gallear, technical lead (network) for the Resources and Strategic Commissioning Directorate at Warrington Borough Council.

The future — reduced overhead and enhanced service through secure, flexible working

The council now has a fully secure network and can grant selective access to thirdparty partners as needed, with simple ongoing management keeping costs low. Giving third-party associates remote and mobile access means the council can promote work/life balance for its entire workforce. Because it’s now easy to add or remove VPN users as needed, WBC has more scope to support flexible working. WBC can also add licenses as more workers take up remote or off-site working opportunities, allowing the council and staff to take advantage of the opportunities this brings.