Way back in July, I blogged about an exercise I did with SOCITM SW regarding crowdsourcing an ICT Strategy. The group came up with many ideas but the overwhelming favourite was for a regional workshop with Chief Executives and Senior Directors to discuss the problems and challenges where ICT had a key role to play. We all talk about ICT getting a seat at the top table but in practice CIOs find this very difficult to achieve. The aim of the workshop was to put ICT on the agenda. The plea for support from ICT Managers in the SW gave me an interesting insight into life at the coal face.
Fortunately I was invited by Eastern Region to repeat the event and post CSR and the coalition government it came up with some very different results. I plan to blog more later on the outputs. The interesting point for me was that Vic Freir (Somerset) was on the same agenda with SOCITM President Jos Creese and we had an interesting chat beforehand. It seems that the workshop idea is taking off and will take place shortly with SOLACE at their Regional Conference. SOCITM will be attending as is seen as a huge opportunity for ICT to increase its influence. All credit to SOLACE SW for responding so positively and it highlights that its no use bemoaning the lack of influence unless you are prepared to get off your backside and do something about it. Well done SOCITM SW and the timing could not have been better.
Workshop Session:
An opportunity to ‘set the scene’ for Chief Executives/ Senior Directors to the opportunity that ICT represents. The workshop would support local ICT Officers in taking a more central role in the savings process. This project had the singular advantage of being a quick implementation, minimal resources, easy to manage, a quick win, low cost and supporting the ICT professional role.
Monday 25 October 2010
Tuesday 12 October 2010
4,000 Holes in Blackburn Lancashire ...
Ever wondered why there are so many roads and pavements dug up with no apparent sign of any work going on? Recent events directly outside my house gave an insight but also caused me to question is the cheapest the best approach?
Let me take you back to the beginning. I arrived back home from Leeds to find strange paint markings on the pavement outside my house. First thoughts were maybe we were to be ‘saved ones’ in some apocalyptic event. Later my neighbour informed me there was a problem with the water main and the recently re-laid pavement would have to be dug up on both sides of the road.
The following Wednesday (as promised) two large holes appeared in the pavement and my neighbour had water again – but the holes remained. The one pavement was completely blocked so the safety ‘elf’ had erected a plastic barrier in the road to create a walkway. This would definitely protect everyone from our 4x4’tless neighbour’s dubious driving. Well, apart from the old gentleman whose buggy could not negotiate the kerbs and he had to drive down the middle of the road to get by the hole and the walkway.
We also received a short note from Veolia explaining that the next day a separate contractor would arrive to fill the hole with recycled aggregate and take away the spoil. Sure enough the next day a large ‘Grab’ lorry arrived, stopped in the middle of the road and partially filled the holes – leaving room for another contractor to finish off with tarmac the next day. In minutes, the operator had also removed the soil dug out of the hole. The whole operation was planned so efficiently that the contractor didn’t even have time to stop off for a pee – so he walked between the rear wheels of the lorry and the wheel arch and went where he stood – in the middle of the blocked road. Very nice manners!
He quickly drove off leaving a small wet patch on the road and a load of plastic barriers blocking the driveway. No problems, my 89 year old neighbour quickly removed them. He wasn’t doing anything else and so much more efficient for him to do it than a contractor. (Yes, I could have moved them but cannot see the drive from my office window!)
The next day another contractor arrived and filled the holes with tarmac and even repaired the crazy paving on my neighbour’s drive. They drove off and then another contractor arrived to remove the plastic barriers. A final contractor should have arrived to wash the road and pavement down with recycled water – but its 4 days later and still no sign. Maybe the washing contractor is a ‘higher being’ and the G-cloud has not produced the rain!
All in all it has taken 5 separate contractors to get us this far and we are still waiting for the 6th. All through Veolia stressed its green credentials but that’s 6 separate vehicles, 9 operatives and 3 days of disruption, just to fix a broken water pipe. Pitkin (Norman Wisdom) and Mr Grimsdale would have fixed it in an afternoon and still had time for a brew!
Am I just showing my (increasing) age and longing for a bygone age? Driving back from Bristol recently I had the misfortune to discover that a combination of 3 sets of road works had created an ‘Italian Job’ style traffic jam that meant it took 2 hours to do the 2 miles from the M40 to home. Yet, at only 1 of those road works was any work being done. It might be cheaper for the utility companies but at our expense in unnecessary delays and frustration. Why should it take 3 days to fill a hole in the road?
Let me take you back to the beginning. I arrived back home from Leeds to find strange paint markings on the pavement outside my house. First thoughts were maybe we were to be ‘saved ones’ in some apocalyptic event. Later my neighbour informed me there was a problem with the water main and the recently re-laid pavement would have to be dug up on both sides of the road.
The following Wednesday (as promised) two large holes appeared in the pavement and my neighbour had water again – but the holes remained. The one pavement was completely blocked so the safety ‘elf’ had erected a plastic barrier in the road to create a walkway. This would definitely protect everyone from our 4x4’tless neighbour’s dubious driving. Well, apart from the old gentleman whose buggy could not negotiate the kerbs and he had to drive down the middle of the road to get by the hole and the walkway.
We also received a short note from Veolia explaining that the next day a separate contractor would arrive to fill the hole with recycled aggregate and take away the spoil. Sure enough the next day a large ‘Grab’ lorry arrived, stopped in the middle of the road and partially filled the holes – leaving room for another contractor to finish off with tarmac the next day. In minutes, the operator had also removed the soil dug out of the hole. The whole operation was planned so efficiently that the contractor didn’t even have time to stop off for a pee – so he walked between the rear wheels of the lorry and the wheel arch and went where he stood – in the middle of the blocked road. Very nice manners!
He quickly drove off leaving a small wet patch on the road and a load of plastic barriers blocking the driveway. No problems, my 89 year old neighbour quickly removed them. He wasn’t doing anything else and so much more efficient for him to do it than a contractor. (Yes, I could have moved them but cannot see the drive from my office window!)
The next day another contractor arrived and filled the holes with tarmac and even repaired the crazy paving on my neighbour’s drive. They drove off and then another contractor arrived to remove the plastic barriers. A final contractor should have arrived to wash the road and pavement down with recycled water – but its 4 days later and still no sign. Maybe the washing contractor is a ‘higher being’ and the G-cloud has not produced the rain!
All in all it has taken 5 separate contractors to get us this far and we are still waiting for the 6th. All through Veolia stressed its green credentials but that’s 6 separate vehicles, 9 operatives and 3 days of disruption, just to fix a broken water pipe. Pitkin (Norman Wisdom) and Mr Grimsdale would have fixed it in an afternoon and still had time for a brew!
Am I just showing my (increasing) age and longing for a bygone age? Driving back from Bristol recently I had the misfortune to discover that a combination of 3 sets of road works had created an ‘Italian Job’ style traffic jam that meant it took 2 hours to do the 2 miles from the M40 to home. Yet, at only 1 of those road works was any work being done. It might be cheaper for the utility companies but at our expense in unnecessary delays and frustration. Why should it take 3 days to fill a hole in the road?
Monday 4 October 2010
Hidden Assets
Lats week we held the first full Board Meeting for the Yorkshire and Humber Public Sector Network. The meeting was succesful and we moved forward in establishing the Project Framework and took some key decisions. More significantly the baseline surveys are rolling in from the 22 Councils in Y&H and it feels like we are now really moving forward. Of course, there is a lot to do and we need greater engagement from the wider public sector if we are to achieve our aims. We are undertaking a more detailled study around West Yorkshire (Leeds and Kirlees Councils), Police and Blue Light Services and if possible Transport and Health.
The Board meeting was held in the slightly unusual setting of Leeds Art Gallery (it has a newly refurbished conference centre) and I took some time after the meeting to look around the Gallery. I particulalrly enjoyed the sculptures - important works from Henry Moore, Dame Barbara Hepworth and my personal favorite The Brick Man by Anthony Gormley. The Leeds collection is second only to the Tate in the UK.
Prior to the meeting I met up with collegues in the cafe located in 'The Tiled Room'. This is an absoltely stunning room restored in 2007 when it was previsouly covered with shelving. The Gallery and Tiled Room only go to show what assets Councils may own. If you have a spare hour in Leeds then I'd urge you to visit the Gallery or even just the Cafe which is a lot better than the usual Costa Coffee or Starbucks. Good food in stunning surroundings and unusually plenty of room. (Unfortunately no WiFi connection available when I attended). Its located next to the Town Hall. Map and further information here http://www.leeds.gov.uk/artgallery/default.aspx
The Board meeting was held in the slightly unusual setting of Leeds Art Gallery (it has a newly refurbished conference centre) and I took some time after the meeting to look around the Gallery. I particulalrly enjoyed the sculptures - important works from Henry Moore, Dame Barbara Hepworth and my personal favorite The Brick Man by Anthony Gormley. The Leeds collection is second only to the Tate in the UK.
Prior to the meeting I met up with collegues in the cafe located in 'The Tiled Room'. This is an absoltely stunning room restored in 2007 when it was previsouly covered with shelving. The Gallery and Tiled Room only go to show what assets Councils may own. If you have a spare hour in Leeds then I'd urge you to visit the Gallery or even just the Cafe which is a lot better than the usual Costa Coffee or Starbucks. Good food in stunning surroundings and unusually plenty of room. (Unfortunately no WiFi connection available when I attended). Its located next to the Town Hall. Map and further information here http://www.leeds.gov.uk/artgallery/default.aspx
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