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Dear colleague
Welcome to the eleventh edition of the LGA’s Cyber, Digital and Technology Bulletin.
This month, the LGA hosted its annual conference in Bournemouth. The conference took place over three days and saw both the Secretary of State, Michael Gove, and the LGA’s new chair, Shaun Davies, speak about the importance of digital innovation in Local Government.
There were also several focussed sessions on cyber, digital and technology. These included an innovation Zone session - with DLUHC’s Rachel Downs and Torbay Council’s Andy Booth - focussing on the transformative potential of the Local Government Cyber Assessment Framework; a session on cyber threats with presentations from Gloucester City Council’s Jon McGinty, and civil servants from both the NCSC and the Cabinet Office; and Cheltenham Borough Council’s talk on its initiative to support girls interested in a career in cyber security.
 Earlier this month, we led a workshop at the Children’s Commissioner’s Conference, titled ‘Cyber security – what will you do when it goes wrong?’ This interactive session focused on the importance of preparing and planning for cyber incidents and introduced some of the actions included in our soon-to-be published guide – ‘Building a Cyber Resilient Service: A Guide for Directors of Children’s Services’. This guide encourages Directors and their senior teams to be proactive in considering cyber security in the context of safeguarding children, and in preparing for a cyberattack.
We were also delighted to be part of the iNetwork’s Northern WARP (Warning Advice and Reporting Points) Conference this month, where we delivered a Live Lounge session highlighting the support LGA provides to councils in building cyber resilience. The wider agenda featured insightful sessions on experiencing a cyber attack, securing the cloud for the public sector, and the importance of secure connected places.
Following the publication of the House of Lords Communications and Digital Committee report on Digital Exclusion, we were delighted to host the Committee’s Chair, Rt Hon. Baroness Stowell of Beeston, at our Digital Inclusion Network this week. She was kind enough to personally present the findings and recommendations of this report with over 70 of our colleagues from the sector. We look forward to seeing the government’s response to the report and we thank Baroness Stowell and her colleagues for all the time and energy invested in it.
Also included in this bulletin is an overview of the latest updates from DLUHC’s Local Digital team, the NCSC, new guidance from Socitm, and several recent publications.
Please reach out with any support requests or questions at cyberanddigtal@local.gov.uk.
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Owen Pritchard
Head of Cyber, Digital and Technology
Local Government Association
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Explainer Videos
IT teams are often seen as solely responsible for cyber security, whereas it is the responsibility of all council staff, including members. One barrier to open conversations about cyber risks is a lack of understanding of key technical concepts. To help tackle this, we are releasing a series of videos aimed at non-technical audiences. Use these videos as a tool to raise awareness of cyber security in your council. Follow our website and social media channels over the upcoming weeks where we will share these videos.
Monitoring your Security Through a Single Pane of Glass – with Microsoft, Virtual, 17th August
Join this LGA-hosted session to learn how to get the most from your existing security investments through a single pane of glass. Hear from the Microsoft team, and council experiences of action taken to upgrade security postures. All examples will be relevant for M365 E3 and E5 license holders and will cover the use of Sentinel. Please register your interest using this form to be sent an event invite.
The LGA officially launch its Transformation Programme
Our colleagues at the LGA have launched a new Transformation Programme as part of our wider Sector Support Offer, to further help councils deliver change and improvement to vital local services. This new support offer includes tools and resources and learning and development opportunities to help councils shape and deliver on transformation priorities. As part of the Transformation Programme, colleagues will be providing data-driven tools to help the sector with continuous improvement.
If you would like any further information on any aspect of our new Transformation Programme, please visit the Transformation webpage or email transformation@local.gov.uk
National Workshop for IT leaders, managers and their senior teams: Effective Cross-Council working between IT & Children’s Services, Virtual, 13th September
Colleagues working in our Children’s Services Improvement team are inviting IT leaders, managers, and their senior teams to a virtual learning event with the aim of strengthening cross-council working to achieve better outcomes for children. At this session, colleagues will launch guidance for IT professionals and Children’s Services to support effective collaboration to achieve the best outcomes for children and their families. This new guidance has been developed using experience from within the sector. You will also have a chance to hear about good practice and ask questions.
House of Lords Communications and Digital Committee launches inquiry into Large Language Models
The House of Lords Communications and Digital Committee is launching an inquiry that will examine large language models and what needs to happen over the next 1 to 3 years to ensure the UK can respond to their opportunities and risks. This will involve evaluating the work of Government and regulators, examining how well this addresses current and future technological capabilities, and reviewing the implications of approaches taken elsewhere in the world. The closing date for submissions is 5 September and more details of how to provide evidence is available here. The LGA, in partnership with Solace and Socitm, will be submitting a response.
NCSC’s Active Cyber Defence programme concludes sixth year of delivery
The National Cyber Security Centre’s Active Cyber Defence programme has concluded its sixth year. The programme aims to ‘protect the majority of people in the UK from the majority of the harm caused by the majority of the cyberattacks the majority of the time’ The full report is available to summarise the findings from core services such as Exercise in a Box, Protective DNS (Domain Name System) and Early Warning.
Invanti patches MobileIron zero-day bug exploited in attacks
Invanti has patched and actively exploited zero-day authentication bypass vulnerability impacting its Endpoint Manager Mobile (EPMM) mobile device management software (formerly MobileIron Core). NCSC have notified organisations via their Early Warning service; you can also find information in this article. If you are not already signed up to the Early Warning Service, you can find further information on the NCSC’s website.
Liverpool City Region Combined Authority launch Digital Inclusion Network as part of broader digital strategy
 Mayor Steve Rotherham has launched a new Digital Inclusion Network for the Liverpool City Region, bringing together a wide range of public, private and community sector organisations committed to helping people across the area get online and provide them with the support needed to engage in a modern digital life. The Combined Authority is providing additional funding worth £2.5m to support digital inclusion initiatives. A new set of resources, including an interactive map of digital support services, has also been developed and can be found on www.helpingyouonline.co.uk
Research conducted by Uswitch mobiles ranks the UK’s most digitally inclusive locations
Recent Uswitch research has looked at the number of national databanks, digital inclusion hubs, and digital skills workshops on offer around the UK, compared against the average employment rate, and GINI coefficient in each of the locations, to determine where digital inclusion is most prevalent. With the Good Things Foundation aiming to help over 200,000 people by the end of 2023, Uswitch research reveals that the UK currently has a total of 2,712 databanks, digital inclusion hubs and digital skills workshops, with 361 of these specifically offering databank services.
Socitm publish sample corporate policy for using generative AI (Artificial Intelligence) in councils
 This template corporate policy has been developed jointly with Socitm and ALGIM (Socitm’s partner association in New Zealand), and is designed for staff, contractors, developers, vendors, consultants in public sector organisations. It provides a practical framework for developing a policy in councils for Generative AI (covering large language models such as ChatGPT, Bard, Bing or other similar tools).
Given the pace of development and application of Generative AI, the policy template will be in a constant state of development. Socitm welcomes feedback to enable constant improvement.
Digital Connectivity Forum report explores the role of local authorities as enablers of digital connectivity
The report followed interviews with 31 organisations, including local governments and devolved authorities, stressing the need for communication, collaboration and consistency between local authorities and the telecoms industry in the rollout of gigabit-capable broadband and 5G connectivity. The findings detail the benefit for local authorities to possess dedicated digital champions, and provide recommendations for planning, permits and increased advocacy of the benefits and requirements of 5G and gigabit connectivity. You can see read the full report here.
Reviewing the Local Digital Declaration 5 years on
 The Local Digital Declaration reached its five-year anniversary this month, which offered a point in time for the team to pause, reflect, and consider what is next for the Declaration. Local Digital recently conducted a discovery project to assess the impact of the Declaration and offer recommendations on how to use it going forward. You can read Local Digital’s latest blog post to gain an overview of how it carried out the discovery, what it identified and what is next.
Future Councils Update
 Local Digital recently published its second update on Future Councils, its newest programme supporting local authorities across England to become modern and resilient. Find out about how it has restructured the team to better support the pilot councils and what happened at the first whole-cohort meet up. Read the Future Councils Update
Good digital project governance – examples wanted
Local Digital is seeking examples of good digital project governance to support funded councils.
They have identified, through Local Digital funding rounds, that designing and implementing good project governance is essential to scaling success. Although a council’s final output may meet a common need, without robust project governance in place, other councils may not have the confidence to invest time and money in further development or even consider adoption. LocalGov Drupal is a great example of what can be achieved with successful governance.
Local Digital is keen to hear other success stories and gather valuable insights. These insights will help them to support councils to make decisions, work collaboratively and develop successful digital products. If you have an example to share or would like further information, please reach out to Tom Lowndes directly at tom@localdigital.gov.uk.
The House of Lords Communications and Digital Committee publish report into Digital Exclusion
Following an inquiry into digital exclusion in the UK, the committee published a report outlining the implications of digital exclusion on economic growth, public health, net zero and levelling up. The report calls for a new digital inclusion strategy, and dedicated government officials to advance digital inclusion. The LGA’s digital champion, Cllr Mark Hawthorne, stressed the role of councils in reaching the most excluded residents, reflecting on the report, he said: “Councils know their communities best and have the responsibilities, relationships and assets to play a key role in encouraging older, vulnerable and disadvantaged households to get online.”
Introducing the next generation cyber security framework from Crown Commercial Service
Crown Commercial Services are currently working to develop the successor agreement to the Cyber Security Services 3 Dynamic Purchasing System. For this they are seeking views and insights from local authority officers to shape the future framework to meet the sector’s needs. The LGA will be hosting a roundtable discussion with Crown Commercial Services on Friday 15th September 11:00 – 13:00, which will be an opportunity to share your views. If you would like to attend, please email cyberanddigital@local.gov.uk.
Welsh Government Funded Phishing Education Video
The Welsh Government has published a video to illustrate the real-life impact of a cyber incident in a social care setting. The video has been created for education around the broader impact of cyber attacks on the victims and is also available in Welsh. You can watch and share the video here.
NHS Digital Inclusion guidance
The Primary Care Transformation team, working with Good Things Foundation, co-produced 10 top tips for supporting digital inclusion in general practice. This short guidance will help GP practices, PCNs (Primary Care Network) and ICSs (Integrated Care Systems) work with local community organisations to take steps to making digital access to general practice more inclusive. Supported by the VCSE (Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise) Health and Wellbeing Alliance, the ‘top tips’ were developed through case studies and promising approaches shared by over 30 primary care, community and voluntary sector organisations in England. From advice on how to identify patients experiencing digital exclusion, to information on where to refer patients who need support with data connectivity or skill-building, the top tips include practical steps that GP practices, PCNs and ICBs (integrated care boards) could take.
Good Things Foundation release findings from UK Community Renewal Fund programme
Good Things Foundation release its Digital Skills Pathway evaluations, summarising the insights and lessons from three pilots undertaken by local authorities in the West Midlands, North of Tyne and Greater Manchester. These pilot projects explored the role of digital skills in local prosperity, with funding awarded to Good Things Foundation under the UK Community Renewal Fund. These reports were launched as part of Digital Leaders Week 2023, where findings were shared. This recording and the UKCRF reports can be found here.
FutureDotNow Digital Skills Roadmap
FutureDotNow, a coalition of industry leaders seeking to close digital capability and confidence gaps within the UK workforce of, published a roadmap detailing recommended steps to ensure everyone has the Essential Digital Skills needed for work. The report provides recommendations for government, businesses and civil society, and the roadmap lays out areas for action in strategy, delivery and culture. The findings show risks to organisations in labour shortages, cyber breaches and economic losses. The report provides guidance on 20 key work tasks to measure Essential Digital Skills.
Ada Lovelace Institute new publications on Artificial Intelligence
The Ada Lovelace Institute is an independent research institute whose mission is to ensure that data and AI work for people and society. They have a range of reports, briefings and resources on their website including a new explainer on allocating accountability in AI supply chains. They also published a report on regulating AI in the UK, looking at the Government's plans for AI regulation. You can find the LGA's, Socitm and Solace's response to the government's consultation on a pro-innovation approach to Artificial Intelligence regulation on our website.
Report into role of technology during COVID is credited with reducing loneliness and social isolation
The Welsh Centre for Public Policy has published findings into how technology was used amid the Coronavirus pandemic to build social connections and tackle loneliness older adults. The research, conducted on the instruction of the Welsh Government, involved interviews and surveys with users and service providers, including local authorities, with the aim of further understanding the use of technology to tackle loneliness in vulnerable and excluded groups. Read the summary and full report here.
Resilience and Cyber4Good Conference, 20 to 22 September, Virtual
This event is free for all public sector colleagues and aims to share learning on how to strengthen cyber defences and keep vital public services running in the ever-evolving cyber threats. Last year saw 170 digital decision-makers and leaders join this event. To find out more and to register, please see the UK Authority webpage.
Data Protection Practitioners’ Conference, 03 October, Virtual
Registration is open for the Information Commissioner’s annual Data Protection Practitioners’ Conference where you can expect inspirational keynote speakers and panels of experts to bring new perspectives on topics of importance to data practitioners. Please see the ICO webpage for more details and how to register.
Head of Programme: owen.pritchard@local.gov.uk
Cyber, Digital and Technology Team: cyberanddigital@local.gov.uk
For more information visit our Cyber and Digital hub
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