RoS Product Launch — Future Developments
On 15 December 2009 RoS hosted a Product Launch at Dynamic Earth in Edinburgh. There were video seminars on Automated Registration of Title to Land (artl), Registers Direct (rd), Business Development Products and Future Developments.
In the final seminar Andy Smith (AS), Deputy Keeper with responsibility for Service Delivery, looks at what the future may hold for RoS. |
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AS: This section is about looking forward, about what lies ahead for RoS. It would be easy just to concentrate on where we are now and batten down the hatches to see us through this difficult and challenging time. However, that is certainly not our way. We recognise that now, more than ever, is the time for us to forge ahead to ensure that we continue to support the needs of Scottish citizens, delivering our services accurately, efficiently and effectively and in ways that will support economic recovery and ensure that businesses and the house buying public in Scotland have a registration system that truly underpins and enhances sustainable economic growth.
AS: Catriona mentioned full electronic registration. IT and developments in that area, with greater use of mobile devices and internet access to services, means that RoS cannot stand still. We need to plan now for changes that could be years away. We are working constantly on this with our IT partners BT.
AS: Shared services across the public sector are the way forward, delivering greater economies of scale and standardisation of processes. As the biggest users of maps in Scotland could there be a lead role for RoS in this area.
AS: We hold information on land, people and property but we don’t hold it all. For instance Assessors hold detailed information of property that we do not collect. If our data were pooled it could mean that our customers could not only find out who owns a property but details of the property itself, all with one visit. At RoS we believe that is what customers want.
AS: We are also looking at developing a range of commercial products for the public.
AS: We still have so much to do and a great many opportunities lie ahead of us. We have recently drawn up our planned outcomes for the next few years and at their heart is the need to continue to provide our bedrock registration services. But we also want to make the most of our IT and where we can use it, in partnership with others, to do so for our own business and to further enhance the Scottish economy. It’s the same with the information we gather and the people who work for us.
We want to share our information with others so that together we provide a rich source of information for our customers and for our economy. Equally we wish to exploit the skills of our people for the good of Scotland. We have a group of well skilled staff capable of taking our organisation to a new level. We are not content to sit back, particularly at this difficult time for our economy. RoS is committed to moving forward, to taking on new and exciting challenges and to delivering for our staff and for the people of Scotland. I hope that some of you will choose to take that journey with us.