President’s reports will appear monthly to supplement Socitm News, which will continue to be published bi-monthly. members will be notified by a Socitm broadcast when a new report is published.
If you would like to respond to anything in this report, please email president@socitm.gov.uk
August 2008
My hardest task, on becoming President, was putting a brake on expenditure, which meant freezing many activities and risked losing our Members’ goodwill. Change is always difficult, and the programme of change we’ve been pursuing this year has risked further disenchanting some of our key supporters. My immediate concern was to “bottom-out” the problems faced by Socitm and get to the position where “the only way is up”.
Well, I’m relieved to say that I think we are now passing that point. We are not completely out of the woods, but we have stemmed the financial losses, we have built an excellent core management team, we are developing strategies for successfully managing our businesses, effective partnering and events management and now, as of the August Board meeting, we’re looking forward to joining the 21st century with modern information and systems technology at our disposal!
As I mentioned last month I will, by the end of September, publish an overview of the new Society structure, including an illustration of the relationships between the new constituent parts. This will mark a new phase in reviving the Society’s fortunes, fully re-engaging with our membership and activities programme, starting with the National Advisory Council on 23rd September.
The last month was, again, busy. Socitm’s engagement with Government has been multifarious. We are now starting to work effectively with Government Connect, which will have a workshop at the October Conference to present and discuss the help that will be provided to Councils to achieve the Code of Connection. We are working with the DCSF on Employee Authentication. We are helping OGC Buying Solutions develop requirements of, and negotiate, a new public sector contract with Microsoft. Your help is needed! Please see the survey at the end of this report. The DCLG has asked us to help with development of, and local government engagement with, pan-Government strategy. I attended the Greening IT Launch (and Socitm is now supporting a survey by “Local Government IT in Use”, which should have hit your mail-boxes last week).
The Socitm reorganisation continued. Meetings I’ve attended in furtherance of our exploration of the best ways to work with partners have been with the BCS, NCC, MDA, Gartner and Kable; Adrian has also been involved in others. We have started reviewing the business relationship with the Insight service. Socitm Consulting is now operating in accordance with a new MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) whilst we continue to negotiate the legal minutiae in order to put a new contract in-place, but we can be confident that benefits from the new relationship are now starting to accrue, and will be fully evident in our next financial year.
Steve Jones joined the Socitm Board of Directors at its August meeting. Steve has extensive experience in our industry that includes board positions with major technology companies and company start-ups that will further boost our business skills and commercial capability. Steve takes-on the Information Technology and Systems portfolio.
We are arranging, as soon as possible, for the whole board to attend training on Directors’ roles and responsibilities to ensure we all are fully aware of our responsibilities and the commitment required. I am keen, also, for new Non-Executive Directors who are voted onto the Board as members of the President’s Team to sign protocols that set-out the Society’s expectations of them in their new roles. A short training session for Directors, to ensure that we are all able to use the “GovX” system that’s key to management of our business between meetings, will follow our September meeting.
Adrian Hancock and David Goddard, assisted by Steve Jones, have worked long and hard on developing Socitm’s CRM and CMS requirements and in researching the market and I’m delighted to say that Adrian’s excellent paper on new systems requirements has now been approved by the Board. These will enable dramatic improvements in our membership administration facilities and our web presence. (Perhaps we’re making Steve’s new job too easy!!)
The Board agreed splitting Socitm Limited into two Divisions, each with its own Board. The Membership Benefits Division will focus on ensuring the Society’s work fully reflects our members’ aspirations and requirements. The Services Delivery Board will focus on the efficient delivery of Socitm services and maximising the commercial returns to be invested in Member Services.
David Houston and Adrian, assisted by Bernard Gudgin, have been working on the new membership system proposals to be put to the EGM at the October Conference. Following enthusiastic Board discussion, they’ve been asked to do a little more “tweaking” of the plan, but we’re confident of making a very effective proposition to the membership.
Sweyn Hunter, the Orkney Islands Council IT Manager, was the first to respond to my July “mini-competition”, and wins a bottle of wine that I hope to deliver personally at a forthcoming Scottish regional meeting. The GMIS Conference was held in New Jersey, the most densely populated of the United States, but where there are more black bears per capita than in any other state.
And now for some heart-felt requests…
1. Many thanks to the few Socitm members who have already completed my survey of Members’ interests. I’m really keen to understand whether, and how, members may be able to engage in the Society’s business. If you haven’t yet contributed, please do so now.
2. Socitm is currently engaged with OGC Buying Solutions in investigating public sector requirements for a UK public sector licensing agreement with Microsoft. Please can you assist by completing our short survey on Microsoft contracts? We will e-mail respondents with a summary of the results when the survey has ended.
3. Please support my night sleeping rough for charity in aid of “Byte Night” the IT industry’s annual fund-raising event for NCH (National Children’s Home).
As ever, I shall be delighted to receive feedback at president@socitm.gov.uk
This month’s “Socitm advertorials”…
Bookings for Socitm 2008 are looking very healthy so book now to avoid disappointment. There are some new items to add since the programme was published in July including:
• Key CIO Issues in 2007/08: presented by Mike Lafford, Group VP Gartner Executive Management
• A workshop on Aspire
• A workshop Government Connect
NI14 and the ‘avoidable contact’ issue will feature in two sessions; Peter Coates from Sunderland will answer the question: Service orientated architecture – a necessity to tackle ‘avoidable contact’? while Socitm Insight’s Martin Greenwood will be talking about avoidable contact in his session Better customer access and service, better taxpayer value.
Socitm Insight’s event on Web 2.0 (a curtain-raiser for its forthcoming report on the topic) is shaping up to be a sell out, so book now to secure your place.
The launch event for Socitm Insight’s new Channel Value Benchmarking Service is on 17 September. This new Service is linked to the Website Take-up Service and GovMetric as part of the Customer Access Improvement Service. It is designed to help local authorities identify the costs of providing access to services through their web, phone and face-to-face channels, to compare these with those of other, similar organisations, to ensure best value in future provision and to identify potential savings through active channel management. To find our more contact insight@socitm.gov.uk
Socitm Consulting are running two new courses in September and October on the government IT profession. Use the links to find out more:
IT Profession - Management Overview – 11 September & 8 October
IT Profession - Techniques for Line Managers – 18 September & 15 October
There’s still time to enter the Socitm travel award, the Graham Williamson Challenge, which this year is being sponsored by Microsoft.. The award provides up to £5000 for a person starting out in a career in ICT to fund the travel and associated costs of taking up a short work-related trip abroad. Entries close on 1st September 2008. Members are asked to pass the details to staff in their organisation who they feel may be interested and benefit from this great opportunity.
July 2008
In my experience getting the Communications balance right is among the toughest challenges in any organisation. This is a top priority for Socitm’s Board and, among our current key activities are the procurement of new CRM (Customer Relationship Management) and CMS ([Web] Content Management System) software. Among other benefits, these will enable a holistic view of our membership, better targeted information, subscription to content, individual and event calendar management and publication, planning and management of regional meetings and content rating and feedback.
Progress was reported, by Adrian Hancock who leads this activity, to the latest Socitm Board meeting, on 9th July, and should enable the implementation of new systems in good time for our new membership year. We are also reviewing all other communications media, such as newsletters (now electronic) and flyers, the President’s Report and, of course, my Blog – which finally includes a feedback link! We are very keen to hear your views, so do please let us know what more we can do to improve communications and, of course, your views on any other Society matters.
Work on the structure of the Society has continued during the last month. The first meeting of “Socitm Futures” was on 7th July, which I wrote about in my Blog entry for that day. (This link is to a copy published on the “ComputerWorldUK” site, as the Socitm web-site currently doesn’t have the facility to link to a particular day’s entry.) The first meeting of the new National Advisory Council (NAC), referred to therein, has been arranged for 23rd September. I have agreed with the Board that, by the end of September, I will prepare and publish an overview of the new Society structure, including an illustration of the relationships between the new constituent parts. I haven’t committed to doing so earlier because the membership of the new Groups has a major input into their roles and remit.
On 4th July, a workshop was held with senior representatives of the NCC (National Computing Centre), also reported in my Blog, to develop the Society’s relationship with that body – and avoid duplication and “reinventing of wheels”. A similar meeting with the BCS (British Computer Society) has been arranged for 12th August.
My attendance, in June, of the conference of our US sister-society – GMIS (Government & Municipal Information Sciences) was also reported in my Blog. One of the interesting developments that looks-like emerging from that event is international collaboration on ways in which ICT can be used to combat social inequity in its widest sense – i.e. not just the digital divide, but also injustices such as child and slave labour. Look-out for more news about that but, in the meantime, a bottle of wine (at my own personal expense!) goes to the first Socitm member to contact me with the facts I mentioned about the American state in which the GMIS Conference was held.
Since my last report, I’ve also represented Socitm in various Governmental Groups and at external events including the LOLA (Linked Organisation for Local Authorities) International Conference, and attended the SW Regional Meeting, the Events Activity Group, an Insight Marketing Planning Meeting, the Socitm Police Group meeting and the LG CIO Council. Concerning the latter, we are to ask John Suffolk (the Government CIO) for permission to change our name to the “Local Public Sector CIO Council” to reflect the fact that its representation now extends far beyond just Local Government.
At last week’s Socitm Board meeting, it was agreed to appoint Adrian Hancock as the Society’s Managing Director on a three year contract. Initial objectives will be set in an appraisal, to be conducted by Past President, Rose Crozier (who has taken on the HR portfolio) and myself. I hope you’ll all agree this appointment is very well deserved and join with me in congratulating Adrian.
David Houston also joined the Board as an Interim Executive Director to help us in financial and commercial development, firming-up the new membership model and recruitment of a permanent Executive Director. As the Society currently expends a great deal of resource (time and money) in officer attendance of London meetings (reflecting, among other things, the productive working relationships that we’ve established with Government) the board has agreed that the new Director will be London-based.
Apart from Rose’s HR portfolio, other Directors’ portfolios were agreed as:
• Richard Steel Consulting
• David Bryant Other Commercial
• Steve Hopson Procurement
• Steve Palmer Membership & Regions
• Adrian Hancock Internal Policy & Procedures, including Health & Safety. (Note: the Board agreed new travel and subsistence policies for officers and elected members.)
• We are jointly responsible for external policy development through Socitm Futures and the NAC
I’m also really pleased to say that Shey Cobley, last year’s Graham Williamson Challenge Award winner, became an Adviser to the Board – particularly on matters pertaining to young people and those starting-out in the profession – ‘though we value her feedback on any matters, and Shey has already provided advice on how Socitm can usefully engage with higher education.
I mentioned, in my last report, that all meeting minutes would be published in the Members’ area of the Socitm web-site, but have a slight correction to make. It was pointed-out to me that some of our discussions are highly confidential and could damage or undermine commercial discussions to the detriment of the Society. Where necessary, therefore, our minutes will be redacted – but only where strictly necessary to ensure the integrity of business development.
Now – here is some other news about Socitm developments and events!
Socitm 2008 early bird booking discounts end on 25th July.
Members should have received, or will be receiving, copies of the publicity material for Socitm 2008: Serving the instant access society this week. The programme can be accessed from the Socitm 2008 page where the brochure is already available as a download. The event will be held at the Celtic Manor, Newport, from 12th to 14th October 2008.
Recent additions to the programme are Steven Noels of Outerthought - who’ll be talking about the ‘Webification of our ICT World’ - and a presentation from Gartner, details of which will be published soon. A session has also been added on Green ICT.
Following positive feedback from delegates, the IT Excellence Awards will have a greater presence in the programme this year, with case studies from winners in each of the three categories: service transformation, shared services and mobile and flexible working. (If you would like to be making one of these presentations, make sure you get your entry in (details can be found on the IT Excellence Award page).
Also new for this year will be a presentation from the winner of Innovate08, a Microsoft initiative that will showcase and develop ground-breaking ideas for tackling issues around social inclusion, place-shaping, community engagement and environment. Again, if you want to be the one presenting, get your entry in. at the LGC Website.
IT Trends: deadline extended to 1st August 2008
A number of organisations have told us they need a little bit longer to finish and return the Socitm 2008 IT Trends survey than the end of June deadline published on the website. We have therefore decided to extend the deadline to 1st August.
If your organisation featured in last year’s report you should have already received a copy of the form populated with the last recorded data to make it easier to complete. If for any reason you have not received this information email ittrends@socitm.gov.uk and we will resend it
Please complete as many of the section of the survey as you can. An incomplete survey is still very valuable to us. If only a few things have changed since your last return all you need to do is complete the part of the form that will tell us about those changes.
All you ever wanted to know about Web 2.0 but were afraid to ask
Socitm Insight is holding a seminar on September 10 to launch its forthcoming report Web 2.0: what it is and why it matters — a briefing for public sector managers.
The event will cater for the growing interest in online communities, mash-ups, tag clouds, user-generated content and other web 2.0 phenomena among local authorities. Central government engagement with the topic has been signalled by the establishment of the Power of Information Taskforce and the ‘Show us a Better Way’ competition launched in July. A previous Socitm event on Web 2.0 held in June was a sell-out.
Speakers at the event include: Tom Steinberg founder of "mySociety" and one of the authors of the Power of Information report, Ewan McIntosh the National Adviser in Scotland on Learning and Technology Futures and a member of the Channel 4 New Media Education. Steve Johnson, Director of Customer Services and Performance at Redbridge — the first local authority to have a website that fully embraces Web 2.0, and blogging MP Lynne Featherstone.
June 2008
Among the challenges that Socitm’s Board has set itself, at this time of rapid change for the Society, is greater transparency about the way that it works, and the things we do. I hope, by now, you’ve seen my Blog - which I endeavour to maintain up-to-date on a daily basis. I’ll be happy to receive any comments or feedback that you may have! I also plan to report on developments following our monthly board meetings in Socitm News.
This is my first report. The April Annual General Meeting, which confirmed my election as President, changed Socitm’s articles of incorporation, replacing the previous governance arrangements based on a National Council of 30 members acting as its board, with a new board of up to 12 Members.
The President’s Team – President, three Vice Presidents and immediate Past President, together with two Executive Directors (paid members of the Society) – are at its core, and they invite other individuals to join the team to achieve the right balance of skills and knowledge to run the organisation effectively. So far, David Bryant, of Hytec International has accepted an invitation to join the board, and it is actively considering further nominees. Adrian Hancock, who has been acting as the society’s Managing Director is an Executive Director. The other Executive Directorship will remain open until the board has decided on how the Society’s commercial businesses should be run. (q.v.)
At our first full Board meeting, on 22nd May, we agreed to invite each year’s winner of the Graham Williamson Challenge competition to become an advisor to the board, in the twelve months following his or her period of work experience, to represent the views and wishes of people who are starting-out in ICT. Accordingly, I have written to Shey Cobley – last year’s winner.
The Board now wishes to establish a National Advisory Council, as soon as possible, and I have written to the Chairs of our regional branches requesting nominations for branch representatives to this body, which it is envisaged will be the main engine for Socitm operations and development. In addition to the regional representation, we are seeking nominations of individuals to represent organisations from the wider public sector (non-LG) or with expertise that may help the Society in developing its member services and businesses.
The NAC will work closely with another new stream that replaces SIAG (Socitm Information Age Government) and EMT (Executive Management Team) to be known as the Corporate Policy and Strategy Group (CPSG). In this connection, a Policy Development Paper for the Society was agreed by the Board. Despite all the great research undertaken by Socitm over the years, the results have never found their ways into formal policy that make clear what the Society’s position is on key aspects of ICT development. The new board is very keen to correct that deficiency, and I commend this new initiative to you.
Incidentally, the board also agreed to work electronically – through the Society’s GovX collaboration space that will also be used at all meetings, so we expect to save a few forests’ worth of paper, and start developing our green credentials!
The AGM also confirmed two other important decisions – for the Society to be expanded to include all who work in ICT in the public and third sectors, and to endorse the development of the Government ICT Profession, and to develop services and support for Members’ professional development.
Concerning the former decision, proposals for a new membership structure are at an advanced stage of development, and will be published for Member consultation within the next six weeks. This will lead to the development of formal proposals, to be considered at an Extraordinary General Meeting of the Society during the Autumn Conference, to change the Society’s constitution and introduce a new membership scheme with effect from 1st January 2009.
The board is considering how to engage with the development of the Government ICT Profession without “reinventing wheels”. Socitm has established the Local Government CIO Council - to help shape the requirements, but the board is conscious that a great deal of professional development and accreditation material is already in the public domain. We are therefore engaging in discussions with other professional bodies, including the British Computer Society (BCS) and National Computing Centre (NCC) to determine how we can work with them to deliver a programme that is optimised for the public sector.
My immediate priority, as President, is to ensure that Socitm regains a sound financial footing. In the past, the Society had a very healthy bank balance and enjoyed significant income from its Consulting business, which was thriving in a buoyant market. More recently, the whole consulting market has seen a significant downturn, in line with the wider economy and, although Socitm Consulting has performed well considering the circumstances, this has inevitably meant a severe reduction in the income available to the Society. This was exacerbated by new contractual arrangements, introduced two years ago, that would have benefited the Society in a continuing buoyant market, but had the opposite effect in a declining market. That combined with other factors, has resulted in Socitm operating at a loss for the past four years.
I am pleased to say that, following productive negotiations with the Consulting Management Team, the Board is close to agreeing more equitable revenue sharing arrangements that both remove a number of risks, in areas such as cash flow that have encumbered the Society in the last few years, and should provide an improved income stream in future years. Both partners are in the process of undertaking “due diligence” but our expectation is that the new arrangements will come into force from 1st July.
However, the Consulting service is just one of the commercial arrangements that are under review. The Board’s view is that all commercial services should be brought together in a new division with a “hard-headed” commercial focus, with experienced professional management to operate a profitable business (in accordance with an agreed ethical code) to generate revenue to be used to maintain and support membership services. We are continuing to explore the best ways of achieving these objectives but, in the meantime, are making other changes to ensure that Socitm achieves a balanced budget in the current year.
At this point, I’d like to acknowledge the tremendous support that the Society has enjoyed from Socitm affiliates, who have provided a substantial package of consultancy and advice – completely free of charge. In particular, I want to thank John Serle and David Houston, who are leading the work. Guys, you have earned our eternal thanks!
Finally, I want to close this first report by saying how incredibly positive I am about Socitm’s future. We are first and foremost, and will remain, a membership society that exists to serve its members. The recent launch of the Customer Access Improvement Service serves, I hope and believe, to demonstrate that we remain committed to the development and provision of effective member services.
You may see me comment in the press and other media (including Socitm’s own web-site, of course) on this and other matters. For example the piece published recently in the Talis magazine Panlibus. I will always be pleased to receive comments and feedback, so please do let me have your views!