Hillingdon council in West London is set to save £3m over the next four years after becoming the UK’s first local authority to complete a full move into the cloud.

The Borough of Hillingdon will team up with the internet giant Google to utilise its web-based applications such as email, calendar, documents, word processing, instant messaging and voice and video conferencing. The council’s migration to the cloud is said to have cost £540,000 for the four year contract which will be completed imminently.

The 3,500 council employees will abandon the traditional software on their desktop PCs and will instead use Google’s software and services, accessible remotely via the Internet. It will also allow the council to move the storage of its data off site, saving space and maintenance costs.

While other local councils have adopted some cloud services, Hillingdon is the first to move its IT systems onto a truly cloud-based system. As well as the cost savings, the adoption of cloud solutions is expected to help the staff complete their day-to-day tasks with greater speed and ease, thus enabling the council to improve its services within the area.

Jonathan Bianco, Hillingdon councillor and a cabinet member for finance, property and business services, said: “Going with Google makes the most sense for Hillingdon economically and it will enable us to realise the tremendous opportunities afforded by cloud computing.

“Doing this means we're ahead of the curve in anticipating the changes in technology over the coming years. It also means we'll have more opportunities to look at how we communicate with local residents and organisations in the Borough, such as remote working.

“Simply, it makes both financial and business transformational sense to make the change.”

With the central government still procuring cloud solutions of its own, this move, which is set to save the council £2.98m over the course of the four year contract, is an example of the benefits that cloud can bring to the public sector.