Somerset Council embarked on a refresh project to replace its ageing fleet of laptops. Rather than allowing the redundant devices to be scrapped or recycled, the Council wanted to repurpose them for young people leaving care and moving into apprenticeships or higher education.
The challenge was significant: the Council needed to comply with its strict disposal policy and the Data Protection Act, ensuring all data-bearing devices were securely wiped or destroyed, while also adhering to European WEEE Regulations.
Somerset Council partnered with Concept Management to manage the disposals in a compliant and auditable manner. The shared goal was to create a seamless, closed-loop process that ensured both data security and positive social impact.
The Approach
- Secure Processing: Concept Management collected redundant laptops, securely overwrote all data, and refurbished the devices.
- Seamless Delivery: The refurbished laptops were set up and returned to Somerset Council, ready for distribution to care leavers.
- Collaboration: A strong partnership between Somerset Council and Concept ensured clear communication, dedicated points of contact, and innovative problem-solving.
- Cost Efficiency: Unlike typical recycling projects where clients are charged for refurbishment, this initiative was delivered free of charge.
- Cross-Departmental Buy-In: Council teams—including Facilities, Procurement, IT, and Information Governance—worked together with Concept to deliver the programme.
- Impact & Legacy
The project demonstrated that with creativity and collaboration, IT refresh programmes can deliver far more than just new hardware. The success of the scheme has since led to its rollout across another major central government organisation.
For Somerset Council and Concept Management, the ultimate measure of success has been the positive reaction of the care leavers themselves—young people who now have a vital tool for learning, independence, and opportunity.
As one project team member reflected:
“The smiles on the care leavers’ faces when they receive a laptop make this project a success.”
Outcomes
- Social Impact: Care leavers received fully functional laptops—essential tools to support higher education and apprenticeships—that they would not otherwise have been able to afford.
- Environmental Benefit: Laptops were reused rather than recycled, extending their lifecycle and reducing waste.
- Data Security & Compliance: All devices were processed in line with disposal policies, ensuring full compliance with data protection and WEEE requirements.
- Operational Continuity: XMA’s refresh installations were unaffected, and the council’s day-to-day services continued seamlessly.
- Cultural Shift: The project helped shift mindsets within the Council, showing that redundant IT can be more than a compliance burden—it can deliver meaningful social value.
