Clik here to view.
My Generation
On Thursday evening I attended a BCS "Thought Leadership Dinner Debate", on "IT Futures: the death of the IT Profession, as we know it?" - at the Royal Society, in Carlton Terrace. I argued "yes"; IT...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Back to the council
On Thursday, I took a day's holiday to attend Linda Griffith's funeral. It was "standing room only" at the moving service for this lovely lady who will be sadly missed by many, many people. Newham...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Showing off Newham Dockside
On Monday I attended an Equality Impact Assessment Training course, in the City, with other colleagues from across Newham and Waltham Forest Councils. The main case study was on the EQIA conducted for...
View ArticleClik here to view.
More engagement please
There are often complaints about late distribution of papers for meetings but, I'm sorry, Andrew - 1.00am for a meeting later in the morning takes the biscuit! :-) The meeting, at Admiralty Arch, was...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Not 'nil points...'
There were several good news tidbits to round-off my week. On Thursday, I was at an IAEAB meeting (which I'm not allowed to report) and was heartened to find signs that the requirement of...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Please don't put the kibosh on transformation
The Cabinet Office published its annual Transformational Government Progress Report, last week. It has produced this useful poster to highlight examples of progress made in 2008. I do think that last...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Onwards and upwards
Well, I completed a first draft of updated Newham ICT Strategy, yesterday, but I'm anticipating a lot of feedback requiring more work on detail... The Socitm Board of Directors met today. Steve...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Safety in numbers
Today, along with a number of other Newham colleagues, I was at the funeral of Paul Bull, our Printing & Reprographics Manager who had bravely fought cancer for the last 14 months. Gary Sussex a...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Taking a break from strategy...to strategise
I see that the Government has committed to funding research into ultra-fast broadband. This can't be about squeezing still more capacity out of copper, so we are talking about upgrading the equipment...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Musical chairs
Congratulations, Phil Pavitt on your move to the HMRC. Thanks for the great work at TfL. I hope we can sustain and build on that, and continue a productive relationship in your new role Tom Watson may...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Another sleepless night please
We're used to the occasional story of how, after 50 years, a war-time letter eventually finds its way to the intended recipient. Well I think I've just experienced the e-equivalent. A Socitm e-mail,...
View ArticleClik here to view.
All change
The racing at Le Mans was great, with Peugeot diesels winning for the first time, and a great performance from a new Aston Martin LMP1 Team, but my travel arrangements were a bit of a disaster. After...
View ArticleClik here to view.
An important customer service channel
On Tuesday 7th July there's to be a London Public Mobile Portal event at Prospero House (241 Borough High Street), which will include presentation of the TfL/ Newham Public Sector Mobile Portal (PSMP),...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Information, innovation & improvement
The problem with e-Government was always that Government somehow created the impression that this was the opportunity for a supplier "feeding frenzy" whereas, as I commented on many occasions, the...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Short enough to be a tweet
It's great to see that Martin Ferguson and others are continuing a lively Socitm Blog. For me, this represents the best means of keeping up-to-date with Society developments, although I also like the...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Investing in our future
Earlier this week, Richard Carde (by teleconference) John Stockwell and I were involved in a discussion with Andre Tytheridge (2e2) about progress in the NTC programme. Richard is working on the...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Help beat this Microsoftie
Here's an interview with Phil Pavitt, who will shortly be moving to the HMRC, which I'm expecting will be one of the most transformative events in Government IT this year, if not decade! The Local CIO...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Dining with the father of the web
I've had one or two conversations with Microsoft and Buying Solutions colleagues about what was to happen to the PSA09 licensing deal. The introductory offer was initially available until 15th June,...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Moving on
Friday's combined Central & Local CIO & CTO Councils meeting was mainly about ICT and the Operational Efficiency Programme. How can we cut 20% from all Government ICT spending? In a series of...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Mobile Media Is Key
Capital Ambition's "London Mobile Portal Event" at Prospero House (241 Borough High Street), on Tuesday, was a "sell-out". There were excellent presentations from Geoff Connell on the PSMP (which I...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Reinvigorating public sector unified communications
There's been a lotin the computer press, this week, about Google's announcement that it will launch its "Chrome Operating System". E.g. "Google OS a worry for Linux". Whilst there's an interesting...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Too much flexibility
On Monday Glyn Moody wrote in Linux Journal of his having agreed with Microsoft to cancel the planned discussion of the OXML ISO standardisation process. He says this was because the meeting was only...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Continuing my Swan Song
Geoff asked me to review ICT pay and allowances in the light of the present economic environment, so that's what I've been doing, this week, and have arranged to discuss the prognosis and...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Under a cloud
Wednesday started with a self-inflicted headache after I attended, on Tuesday evening, 2e2's annual reception hosted by Lord St. John of Bletso on the House of Lords Terrace. I'd decided to leave the...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Signing off
Today is my last working for Newham and so, for now at least, after well over 300 entries since starting at the beginning of 2007, it's time to retire my Blog. Many thanks for the many warm wishes and...
View Article
