1. Central Host or Networked Lgov Systems
Current understanding of Lgov-NSW Topology
A e-Services - Central System
B e-Mapping - Central System or Local System
C e-Procurement - Central System
D e-Security - interface with existing systems ?
E Hosting - Central System

2. Concerns with Centralised System
The Concerns with a Centralised System for e-Services and E-procurements include:
A SIZE OF PROJECT
1 Unprecedented size of project - minimum 75 Councils on centralised system
B e-SERVICES
1 Acceptable response for local community users
2 Difficulties synchronising details in Local Council with Web host
3 multitude new services with no bench-marks for gauging performance
C e-PROCUREMENT
1 Involves not only local Councils but local Businesses - how to interface with their applications
2 EDI & E-commerce in existence for last 15 years - where comparative benchmarks ?
3 New standards emerging for e-Procurement ie XML - what is currently in place ?

3. Raising Knowledge in Community
Centralised System does not raise knowledge and expertise in Local Community
At some stage information on Central System has to update information on Local
Council records - why not design system whereby information on Local Council
systems automatically updates information on ROC and Lgov-NSW System
Internet designed to be a self supporting distributed processing topology whereby
does not matter if central processing power disabled
Doesn’t Centralised e-Services & e-Procurement system go against the benefits that the
Internet is supposed to provide ?

4. Distributed Local Government Systems
Self synchronising Distributed Systems provide:
1 Better response for local community
2 raises skill and knowledge levels of local community
3 facilities more local e-bizness services
4 eliminates dependence on disaster prone central system
5 will provide centralised management reporting information
6 more jobs for the local community

5. Benchmarking for Comparison
This may be an appropriate project as a Benchmarking project.
The objective would be to provide a comparison of the benefits and costs of a centralised Local Government e-Services and E-procurement compared with a de-centralised automatically** synchronising local Government System.
Who would sponsor this project ?
**Lotus Notes is an example of an automatically synchronising distributed information system

6. Next steps
This selection of design topology is critical for the success of the Lgov-NSW local-e initiative.
There are many examples of Centralised Systems failing to provide the performance expected by the users. Examples include RTA with its Oracle database, Commonwealth Bank Banking System, Westpac CORE Banking system.
Lgov-NSW has specified a requirement for e-Services and e-Procurement that is probably unique in its scope.
We believe that the basic topology of a cetralised system requires further consideration and evaluation