15 October 2008
Highlights from Socitm News # 104:
Ministerial visit Socitm 2008 - Since this story went to press Wayne David MP, Deputy Minister for Digital Inclusion, substituted for his boss Paul Murphy MP at Socitm 2008. (See the latest conference reports)
Datapoint & Transformational Agendas for National and Local Government - Commercial Interlude from the sponsors of the IT Excellence Award 2008
Hey Wanna New Job?/Still got a vacancy? - Socitm's new online jobs service is now available.
Presidents Dinner report
Regional Round up - East Midlands; West Midlands; London; Northern Ireland; South West; Highland Club; Police Group
OGC gives Insight to public sector - New public sector deal to supply 10,000 PCS
Article from Kettering Borough Council - 'Customer engagement' the key to service transformation
Socitm 2008 sponsors and exhibitors
Socitm Learning - new programme to be launched
Socitm Insight update - the credit crunch
OGC/HMT Joint Guidance on Competitive Dialogue 2008 - The OGC has published revised guidance developed with HM treasury.
Socitm Consulting update - digital inclusion project for CLG; Green ICT workshop and toolkit; Government IT Profession and the Aspire Partnership; new online jobs service; new range of benchmarking services
Web 2.0 - new report from Socitm Insight - Senior public sector managers must overcome their status as 'digital immigrants' and embrace Web 2.0, says the report
9 October 2008
Socitm 2008 goes web 2 with photo competition: Socitm 2008 delegates are being invited to participate in a photo competition being run through the photosharing site Flickr, and featured on its web 2 microsite. The competition, which is being sponsored by Goss Interactive will open on Sunday 13 October and will stay open for a week after the event. Delegates who want to upload their pictures or comment on other people’s will be provided with links and instructions at the event. Anyone will be able to view pictures uploaded to the Socitm 2008 Flickr page, and the latest images will be pulled through onto the Socitm microsite as the competition progresses. Anyone not yet signed up to Socitm 2008 should do so NOW. There has been a rush of interest over the last few days as people snap up the remaining places.
6 October 2008
Letter from OGC about re-procurement of a public sector licensing arrangement for Microsoft software (DOC 115KB): The downloadable letter concerns the development of requirements for, and re-procurement of, a public sector licensing arrangement for Microsoft software. Socitm is represented on both the Project Board and in the Project Team set up for this purpose, and our recent survey of members’ use of Microsoft software provided an important input.
3 October 2008
Paul Murphy MP, Minister for Digital Inclusion, is to speak at the Socitm conference (Newport 12-14 October) when he will speak about the Government’s Digital Action Plan to be launched this Autumn. As well as the Minister’s address, the conference programme now includes a workshop on digital inclusion presented by Socitm Consulting, currently engaged on a major project on behalf of the Department of Communities to examine awareness of the topic among local government staff and partner organisations. The project is currently undertaking a survey of local government officers and suppliers to explore awareness of and activity around the issue. The workshop will provide an opportunity for delegates to explore issues behind digital equality, share their experience, and hear about at best practice from across the UK. Please note that if you cannot attend the whole conference, day tickets are available for Monday or Tuesday of the conference for £240. If you would like to book a stand at the last minute, there are just five left (out of 84) and we can now offer you a substantial saving on the original stand price. We can help you get your paperwork completed in time, we’ve reserved a set of black-and-chrome furniture for each stand (free of charge) so you don’t need to worry about furniture orders, and we can still include your listing in the ‘Stop Press’ sheet in each delegate pack, as well as on Socitm’s website. Call Elaine Davis on 0208 123 1294 or email elaine.davis@socitm.gov.uk to get a deal on one of these stands now!
30 September 2008
Support package for councils around GCSx Code of Connection to be announced at Socitm 2008 (12-14 October): Government Connect will be announcing a package of support for councils around GCSx Code of Connection at the Socitm Annual conference taking place in Newport 12-14 October. The move follows a presentation from Socitm to the recent Government Connect Board setting out a series of recommendations arising from a survey of members about their preparedness to achieve the GCSx Code of Connection and engage with Government Connect. Among these were calls for better communication, engagement from the whole of Government in the initiative, a range of support, training and good practice sharing, and creation of an implementation toolkit.
Government Connect will have a significant presence at Socitm 2008 as an exhibitor and be conducting a programme of workshops for delegates. Socitm President Richard Steel comments: I am well aware, from discussions with Socitm members, of some of the concerns and anxieties there are around achieving the CoCo within the stipulated timescales, and also of some apparent barriers. Having previously been one of the most vocal critics Government Connect, I firmly believe, now, that the present approach is the most practical means of addressing pan-Government security, which none of us can deny is a critical requirement in joined-up Government. In this activity, Socitm is determined to act as a "critical friend" to Government Connect - if things are not right, we will say so – but also suggest, or help to identify, solutions.