Trafford Council provides services for some 220,000 residents and visitors to a borough comprising a mixture of inner-city, suburban and rural communities. Home to the world-famous Manchester United football club, the area has also seen significant developments in retail, cultural and housing schemes in recent years.

Like many local authorities, Trafford has been tasked by Government mandate to deliver all council services electronically by 2005. In addition, initiatives such as the National Grid for Learning (NGFL) and several local projects required them to review the suitability of their present IT infrastructure.