8th May 2006 07:02
@UK PLC08 May 2006 Immediate release 8 May 2006 @UK PLC ("@UK") @UK confirms seven Local Authorities @UK PLC, (AIM: ATUK.L) a leading provider of software solutions that facilitateeCommerce and eProcurement, announced at its Maiden Preliminary Results on 11April 2006 that 72 local authorities had adopted @UK's eProcurement marketplace. @UK is pleased to confirm that seven of those local authorities are based in theNorth Yorkshire County, bringing together local authority buying activity acrossthe region. Using @UK's unique trading hub and supplier technologies, Selby, Harrogate,Hambleton, Craven, Richmondshire, Ryedale and Scarborough District Councils arenow building an integrated network of Procurement and eCommerce applications.This will enable complete electronic trading for both the council and theirsuppliers throughout the North Yorkshire region and beyond. Ensuring local economies are not disadvantaged by eProcurement is a key featureof @UK's approach with small business in the region standing to see a particularbenefit from being part of the system - a low cost, fully functioning eCommercetrading website. Lyn Duncan, Managing Director of @UK said: "By joining North Yorkshire CountyCouncil in implementing the @UK platform, the collective benefits across theregion will be enormous. Not only are the Local Authorities now going to becapable of reaching the all important 'Excellent' rating for their ODPM'Priority Outcomes', but businesses across the whole of North Yorkshire arepresented with an unprecedented opportunity to exploit the benefits of eCommerceas well as being part of the Government's eProcurement programme." David Gigg, Assistant to the Chief Executive at Selby District Council who issupporting the collaborative effort across the Districts said: "This is anexciting opportunity for the councils in North Yorkshire to achieve real savingsfrom better Procurement. Since the @UK PLC system allows for the transactions ofelectronic purchase orders and electronic invoices, there are real cost savingsto be had for both buyers and suppliers." For further information please contact: @UK PLC +44 (0) 118 963 7000Lyn Duncan Managing DirectorJohn Aiken Finance Director Shore Capital +44 (0) 151 600 3700Mike Sawbridge Smithfield +44 (0) 20 7360 4900Sara Musgrave/Tania Wild Notes to Editors: eCommerce can be defined as the buying and selling of products and services overthe internet. eProcurement is the particular process by which largeorganisations carry out their purchasing using eCommerce. @UK offers a uniquesolution within the field of eCommerce/eProcurement. Using its online network,public sector bodies such as local authorities, schools and hospitals andprivate sector enterprises can buy online from small to medium enterprises(SMEs), as well as larger suppliers. At the same time those suppliers generallyset up a trading website on @UK which can be used to sell online to otherbusinesses and even consumers worldwide. @UK is currently focused strongly onselling this approach to buyers throughout the public sector since this sectoroffers specific opportunities as a result of the UK Government's statedrequirements for eProcurement. Currently, there are over 1,000 public sector bodies spending over £100 billionannually on goods and services with around one million suppliers. These publicsector bodies have now been given specific performance targets in connectionwith eProcurement, and substantial sums have been invested by the Government ineCommerce platforms in both central and local Government. These projects form a core part of the 'Gershon' efficiency drive to save thepublic purse more than £20 billion annually by 2007/08. This drive followed thepublication in July 2004 of Sir Peter Gershon's report, 'Releasing resources tothe front line: Independent Review of Public Sector Efficiency'. In addition,the Government encourages public sector bodies to engage with local companiesand stimulate their adoption of eCommerce. The Directors believe that @UK is ideally positioned to experience significantgrowth as these public sector bodies put in place the necessary online linkswith their suppliers. @UK listed on AIM in December 2005, raising £8 million before expenses at anissue price of 60p. @UK is included in the Software and Computer Services Sector(9530). For further information please visit www.ukplc.net. This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock ExchangeRelated Shares:
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