Welcome to the twenty-fifth edition of the LGA’s Cyber, Digital and Technology Bulletin.

This month, we have been pleased to see the news that Crown Commercial Services (CCS) has successfully negotiated a new 5-year MoU (memorandum of understanding) with Microsoft, named the Strategic Partnership Arrangement 2024 (SPA24). We would like to thank all colleagues who have joined briefings and submitted evidence to ensure local government priorities have been included within this agreement. You can read more on the CCS website, or email cyberanddigital@local.gov.uk with any further questions. We will be organising a sector wide briefing to ensure councils can get the best out of the savings agreed in late November.

Last week, we were in Harrogate for the LGA’s Annual Conference. Our session on “Digitally Inclusive and Connected Communities” was inspiring, and we would like to thank Vikki Slade MP, Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Housing, Communities and Local Government for chairing the session, and our brilliant panel for their insights: Cllr Anthony Okereke Leader of the Royal Borough of Greenwich, Cllr Louise McKinley, Deputy Leader & Cabinet Member for the Communities, Economic Growth and Prosperity at Essex County Council, and Jason Tutin, Head of 100% Digital Leeds at Leeds City Council.

Other highlights in the Innovation Zone included Salford City Council’s LGA Pathfinder funded Digital Help Finder, North Yorkshire presenting on AI supported case management in children’s social care, and Liverpool City Region and Good Things Foundation sharing the ‘Public Sector Pioneers’ report on reusing tech for social good. Thank you to everyone who joined us.

Join us on LinkedIn to keep up to date. Please reach out if you have any further guidance or questions, and a reminder of our year-round on-call function, supporting councils with non-technical advice in response and recovery of cyber incidents, available 365 days a year. 

On 14 November, we will be holding our Technology Innovation Showcase as a hybrid event in London and online. In recent months, we’ve been engaging with councils to refine a number of key challenges facing the sector that could be supported by AI and smart technology solutions that the event will highlight. We’re really looking forward to the occasion and invite you to register. Find out more below. 

Best wishes

In the Local Government White Paper, the LGA calls for “a Local Government Centre for Digital Technology: using technological innovation to deliver reform and promote inclusive economic growth across councils”. The centre’s mission could be to support the secure and inclusive use of digital technology by councils and communities, and could promote a three part vision of digitally enabled councils, digitally empowered residents and digitally equipped places, as outlined in the Digitalisation Framework.

In July 2024 the LGA Board approved the basic concept of the Local Government Centre for Digital Technology (LGCDT), agreed that the LGA should discuss the concept with key stakeholders, and work should begin to develop the concept further.

Cllrs Evemy, Okereke and Swords were nominated by their respective Political Group Offices (PGOs) to join LGA Digital Spokesperson Cllr Coley in the Task and Finish group. The group composes of one representative of each of the four political offices.

To complement this group and ensure that the design of the centre is as well informed and considered as possible, the chair of the Local Government Digital Committee, Jon McGinty has assembled a short-term panel of civil servants, local government officers and other public sector experts. 

We will keep you informed of progress made throughout this exciting process.

Budget 2024

On Thursday 30 October, Chancellor Rachel Reeves MP delivered Labour’s first Budget since entering Government. The LGA’s policy teams analysed the budget in full for the impact on local government. The CDT policy team highlighted opportunities and support required for local government to avail of the Government’s ambitions for digital transformation across the public sector and reiterated the importance of councils’ role in addressing digital exclusion if all residents are to gain from plans to digitally enable services - from health to HMRC. You can read the full LGA submission on our website.

Digital Communities All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG)

In partnership with Helen Morgan MP (Liberal Democrat, North Shropshire), the LGA has established a new All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Digital Communities, which will promote action to create digitally connected and inclusive communities. On Wednesday afternoon, LGA Vice-President Helen Morgan MP chaired the inaugural meeting of the group, where parliamentarians and officers reviewed and agreed the APPG’s 12-month programme. It was agreed the group will consider issues including the digital switchover, the switch-off of 2/3G networks, digital exclusion, and the rollout of broadband infrastructure. The APPG will now work to secure a Westminster Hall debate, before the Group embarks on the production of the APPG’s first report.

For more information, contact archie.ratcliffe@local.gov.uk.

Update on the LGA’s research into GDS’s Service Standard 

We will soon be publishing a report into the investigation of the use and adoption of the GDS’s Service Standard, to help support officers understand what good digital service design may look like, and to share best practices across officers. Thank you to all colleagues that have taken part so far, and if you are interested in learning more or being involved in the research, please email sarah.slate@local.gov.uk. Additionally, if you are interested in being part of a Service Design Community of Practice, please sign up.

Sign up for the LGA Technology Innovation Showcase, Thursday 14 November, Hybrid 

The Technology Innovation Showcase is taking place Thursday 14 November in London and online. 

The Local Government Association working with Apolitical has launched a first-of-its-kind training programme on digital excellence specifically for local government to pilot with 30 local authority non-digital senior managers across England. The ‘Unlocking Digital Excellence Programme’ will help to develop the skills and knowledge senior managers in councils need to apply digital principles and lead teams that can deliver according to best practices around data, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and user-centred design.

The pilot programme will run from Monday, December 2nd, 2024, until March 2025. Expressions of interest to be registered by the 20 November 2024. We will publish a webpage shortly that will contain more information about the programme.

LGA Vacancy – Senior Adviser, Digital Transformation – Partners in Care and Health (PCH)

This role leads the digital transformation team with PCH; the team vision is that all councils sustainably adopt digital technology that transforms health and wellbeing for their residents. are looking for someone who can positively lead the digital transformation team and portfolio of work to ensure that we have the best support offer to councils. This post requires someone with a strong knowledge of digital technology, its use in adult social care and national strategy and programmes who is able to ‘hit the ground running’. Find out more about this vacancy.

Is your council equipped to buy AI responsibly? The Ada Lovelace Institute’s new report, "Buying AI: Is the public sector equipped to procure technology in the public interest?", analyses current guidance for local government. The Institute found a gap between existing resources and the support needed to ensure AI benefits society. The LGA has been engaging with the Ada Lovelace Institute on their research over the last year and is encouraged by the report findings that indicate councils require more support and clarity to purchase AI safely and responsibly.  Get the report and recommendations on their website.

Empowering the Next Generation: Ofcom's Media Literacy Strategy

Ofcom has published its final three-year Media Literacy Strategy, outlining its commitment to equipping the public, particularly young people, with the skills to navigate the digital world confidently. A key goal of the strategy is the “continue to build on the digital inclusion infrastructure” and references the LGA’s Digital Inclusion Network as an avenue to achieving this. Read the full strategy on Ofcom's website.

AI@Cam: AI and the Missions for Government: insights from a public dialogue

Last month, AI@cam collaborated with the Kavli Centre for Ethics, Science, and the Public and Hopkins Van Mil to convene public dialogue workshops in Liverpool and Cambridge to better understand public perspectives on the role of AI.

The findings are available in a new AI@cam report: AI and the Missions for Government: insights from a public dialogue, that offer the first analysis of how the public think that AI could help deliver the Missions for Government. Recent public dialogue work is also highlighted on the AI@cam website and in their latest blog.

Schools’ workforce policy and employment law conference resources

Resources are now available for the Schools’ workforce policy and employment law conference that took place on 15 October. Presentations featured included on AI in the workplace, strengths and weaknesses of AI in education, and AI in schools. You can access all these resources on our website.

The Government have published their Industrial Strategy green paper. The consultation will run for 6 weeks in total, closing on 24 November 2024. In summary, the Government's proposal is based upon targeted support to eight key growth sectors. One of the targeted areas is digital and technologies. You can see more information about the green paper and the consultation on the UK Government website. The LGA CDT team will be feeding in.

Department for Education (DfE) call for evidence ahead of a review of the curriculum and assessment system in schools from Key Stage 1 to Key Stage 6 (ages 5-19)

The independent Review will be data-driven and will look closely at the barriers in the existing system which hold children back from the opportunities and life chances they deserve. The Review will consider the key digital skills needed for future life, and critical thinking skills to ensure children are resilient to misinformation and extremist content online.  The call for evidence closes on 22 November.

More information on the call for evidence can also be found on the DfE website. 

ONS Local Workshop: data maturity assessments in local government, Thursday 7 November, 9:30-10:30am 

Join Kate Cooper, Programme Manager of the Data and Transparency programme at the Local Government Association (LGA) and Angela Lawrence, Head of Data at Surrey County Council, to hear about the LGA’s data maturity self-assessment tool. This event is open to all; however, we anticipate it will be of most interest to anyone working at a local level on the strategic use of data. In addition to this, councils who complete the tool by mid-December will be invited to join a data maturity panel that brings together a group of data professionals in councils in a similar position to discuss ideas and peer feedback.

Register now to secure your spot and learn how to elevate your council's data capabilities.

ONS Local Workshop: Every Cloud has a silver lining. Thursday 21 November, 9:30-11am

Join ONS Local, the LGA and Essex County Council to learn about transitioning to a modern cloud data platform.

Attendees will hear how Essex Council developed a data strategy informed by a data maturity self-assessment, which identified the need to improve their approach to data management. Adam will share lessons and practical recommendations taken from the council’s experience of addressing data management through transition to a modern cloud data platform, including tips on how to avoid pitfalls. He will also outline how councils can reduce inconsistencies by implementing centralised data models, as well as how organisations can improve data use and unlock innovation with the cloud. Register for this workshop.

techUK’s procurement survey: SMEs want to hear from colleagues 

techUK are keen to understand how local government find current procurement processes, what good looks like, and how industry can better fulfil requirements for councils. techUK has launched a short Local Government Procurement Survey and we would like to invite you to fill this in.  

The survey will be open until 8th of November and is designed for those working in a local public sector organisation (local government – councils, local authorities, combined authorities) and manage any tech/ IT procurement. You can find the survey online. More information on the survey can be found on techUK's website.