The Late Arriving Guest of Better Connected!

I mentioned, last week, that I was going to experiment with Microsoft’s Photosynth. Well, my first try was in photographing the sleeping-out on Byte Night. You can see the results in a copy of my Blog at http://socitmpresident.blogspot.com/ However, two files have to be downloaded before the Synth can be viewed, which is unlikely to be allowed on corporate networks, and certainly not on Newham’s. In which case, I’ve provided the link for viewing, if you wish, on your own PC.


Due to a calendar mix-up, I had the wrong location recorded in my calendar for a meeting of the Better Connected Team to discuss the test surveys they have undertaken. I drove into London, before realising I was supposed to be at the Novotel in the centre of Reading, so arrived an hour late! I specifically asked to attend this meeting, as I’m keen to understand the evaluation process. The test surveys, with comments, and other documents including an “Improvement Plan” were circulated ahead of the meeting. There were ten assessors in the meeting with Martin Greenwood, and I was quickly impressed at their knowledge and experience.

More than ever, ‘though, I was struck at what a fast-changing environment we are dealing with. As well as Local Area Agreements, we now have Multi-Area Agreements and Comprehensive Area Assessments. There’s Local Government reorganisation, proliferation of web-sites, Identity Management and Authentication are on the horizon, and content is increasingly multimedia, not to mention Web 2.0 and digital convergence.

As I previously reported, the Socitm Insight Team plans to evolve the Better Connected product, which will be signalled by the changing strap-lines. My thoughts, now, are that the first really significant change may be in switching from assessment of Local Authority sites, to assessing the delivery of public services in boroughs and districts, recognising that service delivery is increasingly multi-agency. As a citizen, I would want to easily find and use services available in my area, but not too concerned who delivered them. It seems unlikely that switch of assessment focus can be accommodated this year, but the survey is clearly being developed with the changing requirements in-mind.

My trips to Socitm’s sister Society conferences, to date, have confirmed that the Better Connected survey is by far the most comprehensive undertaken in the public sector, and widely recognised as such. It’s an ambitious programme with a very high profile and always, therefore, likely to attract critics, but through the commitment and professionalism of the Insight Team, working closely with Socitm Futures to ensure that Better Connected continues to effectively represent the strategy and policies established by the Socitm membership, I’m certain it will continue to represent the Gold Standard in surveying public sector web services.


A complaints, comments and plaudits form is now available on the Socitm “Contact Us” page on the website at http://www.socitm.gov.uk/socitm/Contact+us.htm

Byte Night!

I met my fellow Team members at Ernst & Young (near City Hall) who hosted an evening's entertainment before the Sleep-Out. Although I had met Nic Evans (Key Equipment Finance) at the CNET Awards, I hadn't yet met Steve Clarke (AOL) or Graham Benson (M&M Direct). We sent texts to arrange the meeting place. Our evening started on a high note, in the knowledge we had surpassed out £5,000 target, with the help of a late donation of £1,000 from Sybase - one of Steve' suppliers.

The evening started with speeches from Ken Deeks (Byte Night founder), the Chief Executive of Action for Children, and others. Apparently, Byte Night is the most profitable fund-raising event in the Action for Children (formerly NCH) calendar, and the London venue (there are others) was expected to raise around £400k. There were about 350 London Sleepers - one from the Public Sector - me!

Quite a few companies and celebrities generously supported the event. The Ernst & Young contribution , for example, was valued at £35k. They provided everyone with meals, a "chill-out zone" for those who wanted it, and there was a quiz run by BBC TV News Presenter, Emily Maitlis. I think we may have come last! We got full marks in the first round, thanks to Steve, his Smart 'Phone and the Internet (I imagine everyone else cheated, too) but our performance in the other three rounds was dismal. I insisted that the Barbi Doll and Madonna were 50, this year, which certainly didn't help; they are 40. Sorry, Madge!

There were also auctions; a Dr Who script signed by David Tennant and Billie Piper went for well over £2,000.

The Bar closed at 11.00 sharp, and we adjourned to Potters Field for the sleep-out. The organisers provided survival bags and brollys, there were ground sheets and refreshments (and breakfast in the morning) was provided. I'm sure you're now thinking this was all very cosy, so you will hopefully be queueing-up to form Public Sector Teams with me next year. Seriously, please let me know if you can join me next year!

A cold night was forecast but, unlike Steve's mate, Matthew Lagden, of Action for Children, who looked like Nanook of the North (as did many others) I slept in T-Shirt & underwear! I felt warm enough to start with, and dozed-off after a while, but awoke frozen, after not much sleep. I did have warm clothing with me, including a sleeping bag liner that Chris made for me when I camp at events like Le Mans, but really couldn't be bothered to clamber in to them, so concentrated on trying to close the gap at the neck of my sleeping bag where a chill draft was getting-in. I couldn't get back to sleep, 'though, so got up at 5.30, had a coffee and bacon buttie, said my goodbyes and home to a nice warm house.

Getting Connected

Philip Littleavon, Simon Norbury and I met in Philip’s office at Richmond House to discuss my feedback from colleagues on Government Connect Code of Connection compliance progress - and to agree on the package of support to be launched at next week’s Socitm Conference. I was pleased with the outcome, and I’m confident that we have a pragmatic way forward that will cement Local Government commitment to what will become a pan-Government strategy for appropriate, safe and secure data sharing.

I’m convinced that by throwing our weight behind the achievement of a secure Government infrastructure after, let’s face it, years of fragmentation, procrastination and wasted effort, the public sector ICT profession can considerably extend its authority, consistent with the new agenda that Socitm will be proposing at next week’s conference.


Adrian was at a meeting that lasted most of the day in detailed planning of the Society’s new CRM implementation. Following which we had a long telephone conversation to bring one another up-to-date on our mutual activities. It was a week ago that Adrian asked “Will you have any gaps when we could have a catch-up call – as things continue to move at breakneck speed?” For one reason, or another, our conversation was delayed until today!


My day ended in catching-up with further correspondence that had been outstanding too long, checking the minutes of the last board meeting, preparing the agenda for the next (at Conference) - then seeing how the sponsorship for tomorrow night is going. Wow! Not too bad!

Get "Synthing"...

With Steve Ballmer in town, today, for the Microsoft “Technologies to Challenge Your Business” Launch at the Southbank Centre (I didn’t attend as Geoff was covering the event) Cliff Saran, from Computer Weekly, asked me whether there was a burning question that I would have liked to ask him (SB). Part of my reply was going to be about my frustration over the long delay in launching “Photosynth” since I first saw it demonstrated. I thought I better check the situation, ‘though, before I replied and discovered that it’s now available to use – and free! http://photosynth.net/ So, I’ve opened an account, and am going to get synthing.


Much of my day was spent in ‘phoning Socitm colleagues around the country to consult on Government Connect and the Code of Connection. I’m so glad I don’t work in Telesales! What a thankless task it is in trying to get through to us (and I do know that applies to me as much as anyone). However I did get to speak to many of my peers, and many thanks to all those who took the trouble to call me back.


I made time to review a number of my outstanding actions and tasks – mostly work-related – but decided I should also call my car insurers about an outstanding no-fault crash claim from February 2007. I like to torture myself by going over all the details, then listening to recorded music, before being told the latest excuse for inaction, and I haven’t heard from them since the 5th August. Today, a very polite sounding lady informed me, after I’d spent a while listening to music (at least they changed the Frank Sinatra – I’ve listened to seven complete songs from him in a previous call) they’ve lost my file. Hey-ho.

Reflecting on the Way Ahead... and how not to be "Clueless"

When I read this article referring to Becta's report of Web 2.0 benefits in the classroom, alarm bells rang, as it made no reference to security or privacy. I was relieved, therefore, to find, on Becta's site, there is an associated report dealing with "E-Safety".


Today started in discussion of the Newham Telecoms Convergence programme with Geoff and Shane. We have been struggling to recruit an appropriately skilled and experienced Programme Manager, and so have decided upon an interim strategy.


We were then joined by Mary (Newham's ICT Security Officer) to discuss Newham's progress towards achievement of the GCSx CoCo. There are challenges that we share with Authorities across the country, which we believe we can manage appropriately. However, we may have an advantage over some Authorities because of work already undertaken in areas like remote and flexible working, and in preparation for our move to Building 1000.

I have arranged to attend the next Socitm London Committee Meeting (10th October) to discuss concerns about the CoCo requirements that have been raised by London Authorities and, subject to my availability, I'll be happy to attend any other regional forum with Socitm members. Meantime, I will be 'phoning a number of CIOs and IT Heads across the country to gauge their views, and have also arranged a further meeting with Philip Littleavon to discuss progress.


I was invited to a "Local Authority Trading and Entrepreneurial Activity Roundtable" at the DCLG (Eland House). I arrived late, after the introductions, due to Tube delays, and didn't know most people, but Peter Gilroy, Chief Executive of Kent County Council, which is generally acknowledged as the most proactive Authority in exercising its powers to trade with, currently, commercial revenues of around £700m p.a., was there.

The backdrop to the meeting was the perception that Local Authorities, generally, have seemed reluctant to exercise the powers and freedoms to trade that they have acquired in recent years, and a desire to understand what the barriers may be, and views about what action, if any, may be required. There will be a report back (following this and other consultations) to John Healy – DCLG Minister of State.

No one raised Legal Powers as an obstacle to trading. A lot of the discussion was of culture, risk appetite, skills, fear and confidence. Leadership was, of course, a key area. Motivations for trading, such as economies of scale, or maximisation of asset benefits, were considered and different types of trading operation - from charging for services to investing in the development of commercial operations. Understanding the market, and the ability to "kill" something that's not working, were also considerations. Politics was cited as a potential barrier, which I don't agree with – not in the sense of party politics, anyway, and the roles of Audit and, particularly, RIEPs were highlighted.


Finally, today, it does us all good to reflect, once in a while; articles like this help to encourage us to do so!