| AdminHistory | In 1967 discussions took place between Scotland's four New Towns on the suggested idea that they together establish a Computer Centre. The suggested cost of this scheme was to be £200,000. In 1968 the New Towns agreed together to establish an executive committee that would be independent of any new town and that Cumbernauld would be the location of a computer centre.
In 1969 the Corporation decided that they thought it would be 10 years before the benefits outweighed the cost of using computers, but that, as all other New Towns were keen on the idea, the Corporation would participate if the Scottish Development Department wished them to, which permission was later granted. At the end of 1970 the Steering Group had decided to use a Burroughs computer, with a lease being signed in 1971 for a Burroughs B. 3500 with a 'capacity of 120k'. The lease was for £7400 per month.
The Corporation had a TC 500 terminal in Livingston which could transfer information by tape from and to Cumbernauld; the first information to be inputted on the computer was the rents data for housing, followed by salaries and engineering work. Studies of Corporation 'man-hours' in the Housing department showed that the time saved by using the computer had led to a 50% increase in staff productivity.
In 1974 it was recommended the installation of 'on-line' facilities whereby they could transfer information direct to/from their terminal,
During this period the Scottish New Towns Computer Service was constituted to manage and administer the computer; they continued to manage Corporation computer systems until, at least 1983.
The SNTCS used the Burroughs B3500 until 1977 when it was upgraded. At the Board meeting recording this decision it was also noted that the "present rapid development in mini computers might make the use of a central computer less necessary in the foreseeable future".
By 1983 the SNTCS was running the majority of computer services for the finance department, including: accounting, costing, budgetary control, stores control, cash collection and rent accounting. The service cost £70,000 a year to run. The system had not had a major upgrade since 1975 and was considered cumbersome and slow to use.
In 1981-1982 Heriot Watt undertook a study of computers on behalf of the Corporation, recommending that they spend £150-200,000 on a centralised computer with a series of 'mini' computers connected by a 'ring or network' to each other and the central database. In 1983 the Board approved the provision of computers for the finance and housing departments.
From this point onwards, the use of computers increased. By 1993 there was a Computer Services department based within the Corporation which:
Provided a mainframe which housed databases for Housing, Direct Labour Organisation and Landscape and Forestry.
Provided microcomputer support by purchasing and installing new hardware/carrying out repairs and maintenance.
Prepared an IT strategy and Contingency plan.
It appears that prior to the Wind-Up of the Corporation, that a number of staff and equipment were 'sold' to Lothian Training Limited. |