The Committee will receive a presentation to provide an update on the Technology Strategy.
Contact: Terence Hudson, Head of Technology
Minutes:
Andy Simcox - Service Director for Strategy and Innovation and Terence Hudson Head of Technology gave a presentation highlighting the following points
· The current Technology Strategy covered the period 2020 to 2025.
· A refresh of the strategy was planned within the next 18 months with the aim of ensuring that it continued to align with the Council’s priorities and reflected the challenges being faced.
· Delivery of key strategic outcomes including:
· Face to face provision within the Civic Centre Campus.
· Progression of the procurement of a new corporate data network contract.
· Implementation of the new Adult Social Care system (which had just gone live).
· The deployment of additional cyber security controls.
· Ongoing work in respect of digital inclusion and accessibility.
· Access to gigabit capable broadband for 85% of the district’s households.
· Updates in terms of My Kirklees Account and digital transactions.
· Updates to the governance of IT investment projects, to ensure oversight at corporate level, including the formation of four strategic directorate boards.
· Details of the achievements in respect of tactical cashable savings.
· Re-profiling of the Capital Plan.
· An update in respect of telephony and the impact of changes in respect of the removal of the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) infrastructure and turn-off of the 2G and 3G mobile phone networks, particularly for vulnerable residents.
· Maintenance of a view of risk.
Questions and comments were invited from Committee Members, with the following issues being covered:
· The importance of ensuring that residents, particularly those who were vulnerable, were not excluded by the increased use of digital methods, with reference to the future operational model of customer contact centres; a consultation on which was ongoing. Assurance was given that an Integrated Impact Assessment would be undertaken in respect of any changes proposed and these issues would be taken into account in designing the future service model.
· In respect of the potential utilisation of the heat produced by data centres, this could be considered. However, the current equipment used substantially less energy than in the past and was not generating a significant level of heat. There would also be a need to take into the potential longevity of this as an asset.
· There was an awareness of the environmental impact of data centres and this was included within the climate plan. The authority’s data centre was naturally cooled and no air conditioning was required.
· The current hybrid/flexible model of working was considered to be the right one for the authority to offer, both in terms of competition for recruitment and the personal wellbeing of staff. It was believed to be working both well and effectively. It was noted that the accommodation at Civic Centre I was now much improved.
· The service worked closely with other teams to ensure alignment with other Council strategies such as those related to the environment and people.
· PSTN lines were the traditional telephone lines and once that infrastructure was removed telephone calls would only be possible over the internet. This would mean that during an internet failure it would not be possible to make telephone calls and a back-up option, such as a mobile phone, would therefore be necessary. Further issues could be caused in the event of a power cut, in areas served by smaller mobile phone masts, and this was being discussed at national level to ensure that people were protected. The authority was mindful of this.
Resolved –
That the Service Director – Strategy and Innovation and the Head of Technology be thanked for attending the meeting and providing the update on the Technology Strategy.