2020 01 24 — Weeknotes
2.3 — the one with the fast train to Hounslow (it’s the little things)
Another hectic week, but one where I actually benefited from the train delays. One train was so late at Clapham in order to catch up it went fast to Hounslow :-) Result!
A key week for the Digital Strategy this week, as the timetable and approach was approved at Cabinet on Tuesday evening. Now, all we have to do is get it finalised over the next couple of months!
Monday
Continuing the round of introductions and met with a colleague from the Regeneration team, really interesting to hear about all the things that are going on across Hounslow and the Council and started to talk about the role that Digital has in the community and how we can help shape that. Really simple things like ensuring new developments are being built with fibre connectivity in mind.
In the afternoon I went to Feltham to visit the MD of Coalo as part of our regular catch up meetings we now have in the diary. Fair to say that the relationship we have had with them in the past hasn’t been the best but was really pleased to hear that we have started to change the perception of Digital & IT. Largely down to the team being much more visible in the Depot as part of the Pop Up Pods and getting stuff sorted out for them. The Business Partner for the team has also been spending a lot of time with them to sort out issues, get stuff sorted and starting to think about the next steps. Really pleased to start to have seen an improvement in the service we are able to deliver. Still work to do but well done and thank you to the team!
Wednesday
Met with my Portfolio Holder, Cllr Pritam Grewal, in the morning to discuss everything going on and how the paper for the Digital Strategy was received at Cabinet the night before. The paper was well received with some good questions and support from Cabinet — on to delivery of it now! We discussed the strategy and next steps, how we will support the strategy through appropriate governance and the steps that we are taking to #fixtheplumbing — for both staff and Councillors. We are going to do a piece of work with Councillors to review the devices we provide and how they access email, wifi and reviewing the password policies. A range of activities that over the next couple of months will really improve the service.
Thursday
Spent first thing with Niall and Clive to go over some of the next steps of the Digital strategy, timetable, planning and outcomes. Before spending the rest of the morning working through a Brexit Emergency planning exercise. I managed to infiltrate the Adults and Children’s table… (yes I was late) but was really good to hear the plans that we have in place across the Council for a range of issues and how we would deal with them.
I spent the afternoon with Franco getting into the detail of the Strategy, Governance and the start of getting the Digital Service Design team set up for Hounslow. There is certainly lots to do over the next couple of months. More importantly we need to ensure that we do things in the right way, bringing colleagues from across the Council into the design of the strategy and Governance.
Exciting times ahead!
Tune of the Week — another random one (give it a chance…) — Faithless — Music Matters 2.0 (Axwell Remix Remastered) [Audio]
