iPads point the way to a paper-less future for Rotherham Council

The idea is that by using the high-tech tablets to read reports, minutes agendas, the council will save on printing costs.

More than half of the councillors are expected to hand back their current laptops in exhange for an iPad.

Deputy leader Cllr Jahangir Akhtar, who approved the plan, said the iPads were also cheaper than the £600 laptops used by the council.

He added: “We’re trying to work towards being a paperless organisation. This is a considerable saving in capital and ongoing costs.

“The reason we’ve gone with the iPad is because it’s user-friendly. But one size doesn’t fit all.

“We’re not being proscriptive, so members can choose to keep their laptops.

Four out of five councillors said they would give up printed agendas if they were given an iPad but around two-thirds have a council printer and most of these — 82 per cent — have said they would not give this up.

The spokesman said: “Members cited the need to produce letters, newsletters and leaflets as the reason for needing a printer.

“Some members said that they used their printers to produce copies of documents for archiving and reference.”

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