Activities

Ongoing

2026 –Leading regional digital connectivity project
2026 –Leading regional AI project
2024 –Supporting North East Mayoral Strategic Authority Digital Leads Steering group
2020 –Liaison and partnership working with North West and Yorkshire and Humber WARPs including Northern WARP conferences 
2018 –Discussions on cyber resilience with North East Fraud Forum members, SchoolsNorthEast, school business manager networks 
2017 – 2019Dynamo North East Talent Matching pilotwww.dynamonortheast.co.uk
2017-Microsoft 365 implementation 
2016 –Participation in SOCITM’s Local CIO Council / Nations and Regions Forum 
2015 –Participation in “CyberNorth” regional cyber security discussions 
2015 –Careers talks in schools for Dynamo North East as part of Esh Group’s “Building my Skills” programmesources of IT Careers information for young people
2014 – 2021Supporting Dynamo North East’s workstreams – sourcing knowledge and resources, brokering opportunities for joint working particularly around skills and cyber resilience. www.dynamonortheast.co.uk
2013 –Development of Information security Manager’s Group and registration as the NE Government WARP.
2013 –Management of North East public sector cyber security forum / WARP.
2013 –PSN compliance discussions – national and with other WARPs
2013 –PSN compliance especially regarding BPSS, mobile working and mobile devices
2010 –Management of SOCITM North East.www.socitm.net/northeast 

Historical

2023Investigations into Security Operations Centres and potential for a shared regional contract 
2019Investigations into contact centre, telephony, CRM and VOIP market developments 
2018Participating in Cyber Security exercises with Local Resilience Forum 
2018Investigations into establishing a regional IT internal auditor network 
2018Northern area LRF and WARP discussions with MHCLG cyber resilience programme 
2018National discussions about the future of WARPs 
2018LGA cyber stocktake support 
2018‘Cyberfest’ events 
2018-2019Supporting GSI / GCSX migration 
2018SOCITM North conference
2018Cyber attack reporting guidance update
2018Cyber security training materials
2018Local Civic Resilience planning aid
2017-2019Regional Digital Skills ESF bid development
2017Participation in LGA PSN Programme Board 
2017Regional economic Development Digital Leads meetings co-ordination 
2017Participation in NCSC Cyber Technical Reference Group 
2017GDPR
2017Disaster Recovery workshopEnabling Safe Business
2016 –2018GovRoam / GovWifi investigations
2016 –2018Participation in an initiative to bring a 5G test-bed to the region.
2016 – 2018Participation in regional public sector digital skills group.
2016 – 2018Commissioned Executive Leadership training for Women in IT.
2017Established a register of guest and public Wi-Fi facilities available in public buildings.Wi-Fi access in north east public sector buildings
2017Increased collaboration between SOCITM North East, North West and Yorkshire and Humber regions.
2016PSN / GCF / Secure email investigations 
2016“Enabling Safe Business – a closer look at Cloud” eventSlides and Further Information
2016Commissioned ‘Executive Leadership Programme for Women in IT” from Northumbria University Business School.
2016Presentation on cyber resilience and business continuity in schools and academies to North East Fraud Forum.
2016SOCITM / ADBL digital leadership workshop.
2015-2016Desktop Productivity Software review
2015-2016Review of password guidance
2015‘Enabling Safe Business ‘15’ eventFurther information
2015Established ISNorthEast group on CiSP
2015IT in schools event for Dynamo North Eastwww.dynamonortheast.co.uk
2015Retention of online communities of practice to support partnership activities
2015Revision of ISNorthEast Terms of Reference
2014 – 2018Development of IT skills pipeline for Dynamo North East’s skills workstreamwww.dynamonortheast.co.uk
2014-2015Supported an Apprentice in each of the Partner councils
2013‘Enabling Safe Business ‘ eventFurther information
2013Access to Wi-Fi in public buidlings
2013Channel shift and new service models
2013Penetration testing workshop
2013Research into Service Structures
2013Revision of skills sharing protocol
2012 – 2013BYOD workshops held and experience and policies shared.
2012 – 2013Collaboration on BDUK through DigitalDurham.
2012 – 2013Electronic Document Management group established.
2012 – 2013Gateshead’s Policy Enforcer solution made available to others.
2012 – 2013Investigations about future joint working.
2012 – 2013Investigations into making it easier for employees to work in another council’s buildings through guest Wi-Fi.
2012 – 2013Open Data initiative commenced with TWITA.
2012 – 2013Organising to include Partners’ outsourced providers.
2012 – 2013Salary Survey undertaken for SOCITM NE.
2012 – 2013Satellite Broadband investigated.
2012 – 2013Web Managers group established.
2011 – 2012Applications Consolidation workshop.
2011 – 2012Expansion of Partnership and review of Partnership Agreement.
2011 – 2012G & ST joint Multifunction device procurement.
2011 – 2012Introductory agile project management training.
2011Investigations around using SharePoint as a regional collaboration platform.
2010 – 2019Public Services Network – Investigation of opportunities for de-duplication and joint working through awareness of each others communications links
2010 – 2019Public Services Network – Greater understanding of the implications of and opportunities afforded by Government policy. Strengthened relationships with other public sector bodies in the region.
2010 – 2012Facilitated engagement of the ICT sections in a sub-regional Urban Traffic management Control project seeking to integrate data sources across the councils.UTMC website
2010 – 2011Initial joint multifunction device procurement between Gateshead and South Tyneside.
2010Investigations into providing a single secure collaborative workspace for the Region.
2010Study into the state of the art in the use of agile and mobile working in the Region compared with the national picture.
2009Access to social media: shared understanding of the approaches being taken to social media by each partner.
2009Aided Newcastle University with ‘Where do you think you’re going’ Transport and Digital Economy event.
2009Collation of workprogrammes: identified opportunities for joint action – a number of common priorities have been identified for further investigation.
2009Digital Inclusion: Lessons Learned exercise for Sunderland. Shared understanding of the approaches being taken to digital inclusion by each partner.
2009Established a mechanism to share Efficiencies information amongst Partners
2009ICT Professionalism & SFIA
2009Job Evaluation: shared lessons learned with Partners to inform job evaluation and restructuring discussions.
2009Preparations for a flu pandemic: shared understanding of the provision being made for working from home etc.
2009Regional Council ISP Survey
2009Regional Local Authority ICT Salary Survey
2009Revision of TWICT Partnership Agreement
2009SFIA and ICT Professionalism: shared training and workshop to explore potential joint actions.
2009Smart Transport Ticketing: shared understanding of opportunities to link with the smart ticketing agenda.
2009Support for Hexagon: shared service desktop collaboration for all Heads of IT in the Region.
2009Thin Client / Desktop virtualisation
2008Training Matrix
2008Community ICT barcamp at ‘IT in the Community’ Conference
2008Executive briefings
2008Web impacts on enterprise ICT
2007-2009Digital Challenge Project Management, Dissemination and Project AssuranceDigital Challenge website
2007-2009Investigation into sharing data centre capacity
2007Contact centre business continuity project
2007Established sub groups: ·         Security ·         Trainers ·         ICT Customer Service and Desktop Support ·         Systems Services ·         Networks, Telephony and Wireless
2007Hardware maintenance investigation
2007Investigated: ·         Web2.0 for business ·         Members ICT ·         technologies to support joint working and shared services
2007Skills sharing protocol
2006-2007Ask-it navigation and public information for disabled peopleAsk-IT website
2006-2007Every Child Matters data matching trial
2006-2007Stakeholder Briefing (Prospectus)
2006Best practice self-assessment
2006SOCITM NE ICT policies survey
2006Telephony efficiencies project
2005-2006Joined up Jobs readiness for eVacancy advertising and vacancy data exchange protocol. Phase II of this project developed into the Regional e-Recruitment PortalAbout the project
2005-2006NEPO printers procurement
2005-2006SOCITM NE internet broadband procurement
2004-2008Kiosks – Supported the growth of the Tyne and Wear kiosks network to 54 at end March 2008Kiosks
2004-2008Interactive Digital TV and mobile phone services for councilsabout our Digital TV project
2004Wireless Internet (WiFi)