E-Government

Subject: E-government

Report Number: 6

Date: 20 May 2003

Report to: Economic and Social Development Committee

Report of: Director of Secretariat

1. Summary 1.1 This report provides background information and outlines the objectives for the single session scrutiny on E-government, focusing on project implementation in London.

2. Background 2.1 The Economic and Social Development Committee resolved undertaking a focused piece of work on e-Government to consider progress of projects in London. It was agreed that the Committee hold a scrutiny session to consider evidence on this matter.

2.2 New technology is being increasingly deployed in the public sector in order to meet customers’ needs and deliver better services. The Government has recognised the importance of this and has set ambitious targets for having all public services available on-line by 2005.

2.3 London Connects is a London wide agency bringing together local, regional, and national government to co-operate on e-government developments. It has responsibility for developing an e-Government strategy for London, supporting its implementation through the leadership of London wide ICT infrastructure and services; and by the provision of information, research and best practice services. The Agency, which was established in 2001, is supported by the GLA, functional bodies, the ALG, Government Office for London, the NHS and the London’s voluntary sector.

2.4 Mike Barkway, Chief Executive of London Connects has been invited to attend the session to report on how project implementation is progressing and to be questioned by the members of the Committee.

2.2 The aim of the session will be to identify what is working well, what the problems have been and how these are being or plan to be dealt with, and whether there are any particular areas of vulnerability emerging as the project develops.

3. The draft e-Government strategy for London

1 3.1 The London Connects draft “e-Government strategy for London” was published in December 2001. This document is appended in Annex A. It sets out a programme for co-ordinating the expansion and use of new technology to improve public services in London. The development of the programme aims to support four key objectives:

• To provide an unified e-face for London’s public services • To promote and support collaborative working • To ensure the benefits of technology are available to all • To use technology to encourage public participation in democratic processes

4. Update on the strategy implementation 4.1 In November 2002 London Connects published its First Year report. This document is appended in Annex B. It provides information on the first year activity that has been undertaken.

4.2 The focus of the work in the first year has been directed at three key areas: • Building an organisational capacity. • Taking forward a programme of London wide e-infrastructure projects, defined in the draft Strategy as a London Portal, a London-wide citizen access smart card, and a public services network for the capital. • The fostering, promotion and support of partnership working.

5. Financial implications 5.1 There are no direct financial implications arising from this report.

6. Strategy Implications 6.1 This report has relevance to the Economic and Development Strategy and to the Assembly’s consideration of the cross-cutting themes of the health of persons in Greater London; the achievement of sustainable development in the United Kingdom; and the promotion of opportunity.

7. Legal Implications 7.1 There are no relevant legal implications arising from this report.

8. Recommendation 8.1 That the Committee considers its views on the draft e-Government Strategy for London and asks questions to Mike Barkway as appropriate.

Background documents:

- London Connects, An e-Government Strategy for London. Draft for consultation, December 2001 - London Connects– Review of First Year, dated November 2002

Contact Officer: Pina Ardu Tel: 020 7983 6541

2 Annex A

An e-Government Strategy for London Draft for consultation December 2001

LondonConnects Room 606 Hampton House Albert Embankment LONDON SE1 7SD www.londonconnects.org.uk

Published on behalf of LondonConnects by Greater London Authority Romney House Marsham Street London SW1P 3PY enquiries 020 7983 4100 minicom 020 7983 4458 www.london.gov.uk

Acknowledgements

3 Our thanks go to a significant number of organisations – public, private and voluntary – who have helped shape this draft strategy. They will be personally acknowledged in the final strategy document.

contents

Executive Summary

Chapter 1: Introduction

Chapter 2: The Challenge

Chapter 3: The Response

Chapter 4: London e-Government 2005

Chapter 5: Making it Happen

Chapter 6: Summary of Proposals

Chapter 7: Conclusion

Appendices

Appendix 1: e-Projects in London

Appendix 2: LondonConnects

Appendix 3: Stakeholder Organisations

Appendix 4: National Context

4 foreword Technology has often promised a great deal, but not always delivered. However we are now on the threshold of a new era in which we should be able to harness the benefits of technology to make life better and easier for all Londoners.

Through working together, the public, private and voluntary sectors can make full use of technology to simplify the complexities of life in the city and make sure that these benefits are shared by everyone in London.

The Association of London Government is committed to this aim, and looks forward to the debate that this document will undoubtedly stimulate.

Robin Wales Chair, Association of London Government

London is a great world city, and new technology will have a key role to play if we are to sustain its pre-eminent position.

There are three key areas on which, I believe, we need to focus attention if London’s competitiveness is to be maintained and developed. We must ensure affordable broadband access is available right across the city; we have to develop our e-skills; and, through technology, we must ensure our public services are accessible and easy to use for everyone.

This draft document is part of the process of achieving these aims , and I hope it stimulates a wide discussion on how we can work together to make London the leading e-world city.

Ken Livingstone Mayor of London

5 foreword continued Technology has transformed much in our lives in recent years. It has had an enormous impact on entertainment and leisure time, on our work and the services we use and on the way we lead our lives.

London has an excellent track record in the use of technology, which has helped to maintain its economic importance and the competitiveness of its business, but we are now entering a new phase.

We need to ensure the benefits of technology are available to all and that technology helps us deliver efficient and high quality public services. We also need to make sure that our people and local organisations have the skills and confidence to maximise technology effectively.

It is to help achieve these aims that LondonConnects has been formed. A Londonwide agency, bringing together local, regional, and national government, to co-operate on e- government developments. LondonConnects has the full support of the GLA and its functional bodies; of the ALG on behalf of the London boroughs; the Government Office for London, the NHS, and London’s voluntary sector. We believe that this is already a unique collaboration, and we are hopeful that it will result in truly ‘joined-up’ public services across the capital.

This document has been produced as a first step in building a consensus on what needs to happen if we are to achieve our aims. We want London to become the world e-city, and we want to hear from all those involved on how to achieve that aim.

During the next three months we will be listening intently, and we particularly want to hear a wide range of views on the proposals and issues set out in this document. It is then our intention to produce a finalised document in the early Spring, providing us with an action programme, and a base-line against which to chart progress. We look forward to hearing your views.

6 executive summary London is a city of great contrasts, where high unemployment and social deprivation exist alongside great wealth and affluence. Poor housing, ill-health, lack of skills and poor training all add to the problems of social exclusion which many Londoners experience. Long years of under investment have taken their toll on the city’s infrastructure and basic services and there are major initiatives underway to reverse this decline.

The public sector has a central role to play in restoring the social and economic fabric of the capital and in transforming the range and efficiency of its infrastructure and services. London boroughs, the GLA, health services and other agencies between them employ about one quarter of London’s workforce and manage budgets worth more than £18 billion a year.

New technology has already brought about many changes in the way in which we organise our lives and work, and is now being increasingly deployed in the public sector in order to meet customers needs and deliver better services. However, the use of e-Government services in the UK trails behind many European countries, both in relation to information access, and for full transactional use. The Government has recognised the importance of addressing this, and has set ambitious targets for having all public services available on-line by 2005.

This technology-enabled transformation of our public services is an essential factor in ensuring London sustains its current pre-eminent position as the major driving force in the national economy, and as Europe’s prime e-business location. LondonConnects, which has been established to support this aim, believes that the Government targets can be met, and that technology can make a real contribution to the transformation of our public services.

An ambitious and challenging programme is being proposed to co-ordinate the expansion and use of new technology to improve public services for everyone

The programme will be developed to support four key objectives:

• To provide a unified e-face for London’s public services by putting in place. a regional infrastructure and services. • To promote and support collaborative working so that the many examples of excellent practice which already exist locally can be taken up more widely across the public sector. • To ensure the benefits of technology are available to all by initially supporting research into technology access and impact, and then acting on the conclusions. • To use technology to encourage public participation in democratic processes by assessing the impact of the many experiments now taking place, and then actively promoting the success stories.

To secure these objectives LondonConnects is proposing a practical programme of work and research which will:

• Establish a London Portal, providing an entry-point to all public and voluntary services in the capital, and act as a stimulus for collaborative, multi-agency, working.

• Develop a business case for Government funding which will enable the portal to be public sector led, with delivery and support provided by the private sector.

• Discuss with the LDA and London First and London Tourist Board whether Londonline.gov.uk could host additional web-based services for both business and visitors to the City.

• Put in place a management framework which ensures close linkage with those involved in London ‘Pathfinder’ portal work as well those responsible for other capital-wide service portals, and with the LondonConnects partner organisations.

• Explore the possibility of partnering with the London Grid for Learning network (LGfL) to provide a London Public Services Network which would have the advantages of a private network, including controllable costs for usage and additional capacity.

• Explore the implications of developing a Londonwide smart-card, in order to provide ready access to a wide range of public services.

• Develop a programme, overseen by the LondonConnects Steering Group, based on opportunities for inter-sector partnership working around e-Government.

• Support and promote the establishment of ‘shareware’ clubs, which bring together organisations and agencies with an interest in a single e-Government project.

• Review the existing Pathfinder projects to promote their wider take-up across the capital, and examine the existing e-Government strategies of the LondonConnects partner organisations to assess the potential for further collaborative working, and opportunities for further central Government funding. • Carry out a study into community websites in London in order to explore the potential for spreading good practice, and opening up funding opportunities to support local communities in their e-endeavours.

• Develop criteria to identify successful e-democracy projects and organise a policy workshop during the consultation period that will make e-democracy the key theme for the planned Spring 2002 London e-Government conference.

• Ensure LondonConnects website supports those responsible for the management and delivery of e-Government in London through a comprehensive information base, including strategic e-projects, details of e-funding sources in the UK and EC, discussion forums and a comprehensive e-index.

• Undertake an annual review of e-government activity in London which will help inform future strategic direction. This will be available on the LondonConnects website; and provide the basis for the annual London

8 e-Government Conference.

• Work with the LDA on e-skills needs generally, and specifically to develop an e-literacy framework for staff in London’s public services, based on the European Computer Driving License (ECDL).

• Assess the effectiveness of current IT management skills training, and see whether there is potential for greater collaboration in the development and running of common training programmes in key IT-skills areas.

Conclusion LondonConnects believes that by 2005 Londoners should enjoy the benefits of having:

• One of the most advanced, integrated transport ticketing services in the world, together with state of the art, multi-channel, transport and travel information. • A London Portal that provides quick and easy online access to local, regional and centrally administered public services. The portal will be underpinned by common city-wide standards for authentication and payment. • Major initiatives to address the so-called ‘digital divide’ in London both in terms of access and affordability of services as well as basic e-skills, and with every Londoner having ready accessibility to a public access point connecting to London’s e-services. • Broadband penetration to the home will be increasing rapidly and all new build developments will be e-enabled during construction. • A London smart-card widely available, and providing ready access to a wide range of services and facilities.

This draft strategy is, though, just a start. We hope that this initial document will help stimulate a debate, not just in the public and voluntary sectors, but also in the private sector. We all have a stake in ensuring the excellence of our public services, and we stand a greater chance of achieving this if we have a shared understanding of our different agendas. We have much that is already excellent in London; our challenge is now in working together to spread this excellence to all parts of our city.

Consultation We have set aside a three month period for consultation on the proposal and direction of this document, and we would like to hear the views of all those involved in securing improvements in our public services through the application of technology. After this period, the document will be reviewed and a final strategy produced. This will be coupled with a London e-Government Conference in June 2002.

We welcome comments on all aspect of this draft document, including the specific proposals and key issues we have identified. Please respond as set out in Chapter 7.

The closing date for responses is 28 February 2002.

9 1: Introduction

1.1 London is a city of great contrasts, where extreme hardship exists alongside great wealth and affluence. Despite the economic importance of the capital, many parts of the city contain pockets of high unemployment and social deprivation. Poor housing, ill- health, lack of skills and poor training all add to the problems of social exclusion which many Londoners experience.

1.2 Major initiatives are now underway to reverse long years of under investment in the city’s infrastructure and basic services. Substantial new investment is being allocated to new housing, improving schools and hospitals, and to environmental projects designed to improve the quality for life for everyone.

1.3 This draft strategy focuses on public service provision, and in particular the harnessing of technology to improve quality and accessibility, but must be seen as part of the wider agenda, and as one component of the necessary response to the challenges facing London.

1.4 This technology-enabled transformation of the public services is an essential factor in ensuring London sustains its current pre-eminent position as the major driving force in the national economy, and as Europe’s prime e-business location. Encouragingly, London already has a highly skilled ICT workforce with some 300,000 people employed in the ‘knowledge industries’ and almost 50% of all households with access to the internet.

1.5 The public sector in London is of course a key economic player. It employs a quarter of London’s workforce, with an annual expenditure in excess of £18 billion; and an estimated expenditure on information technology and its application in the order of £500 million per annum.

1.6 The provision of public services across the capital is the responsibility of many different agencies, with perhaps a more fragmented structure of public services than other world cities ; and yet in London, certainly more than in any other part of the UK, people, businesses and visitors often do not wish to be confined by the conventional administrative boundaries of service delivery organisations. This has long been recognised, and there are already many examples of effective partnership working that cut across geographical, organisational and sector boundaries.

1.7 Technology now provides a real opportunity to take this partnership work further and to shape, develop and deliver public services that are responsive to local needs, that meet the needs of our citizens, and which are of the highest standards of excellence.

1.8 To ensure that we sustain London’s pre-eminent position we need to make sure that technology helps transform the way we deliver our public services; that we develop the skills to realise the full potential of the technology; and that we lead in the provision of affordable Broadband access to ensure that everyone in London has access to technology and e-services

1.9 For this to be successful we have to involve the consumer and local communities in shaping the nature of the services, making sure they are flexible and high quality, and that they offer people real choice.

10 1.10 We must be able to use technology to support multi-agency working, to encourage local innovation, and then promote this best practice so that it is taken up elsewhere. We have to ensure maximum collaboration in the development of IT enabled systems and services, with the absolute minimum of duplication and clear lines of responsibility. We need to put in place widespread and inclusive access by developing city-wide IT services.

1.11 The ICT revolution can do in the public sector what it has achieved in some parts of the private sector. It will allow us to radically streamline our processes and provide ready access to high quality and integrated services.

1.12 To achieve improvements will require a concerted and co-ordinated response among all of London’s public service agencies. Increased partnership working, strong leadership and a real commitment to a customer-focused approach will all be needed and it is crucial that we have the strategic framework and mechanisms in place for this to happen.

1.13 The need for this strategic focus has already been recognised with the establishment of London Connects which brings together local, regional and national government in order to co-operate on e-government developments for London. The London Connects concordat has now been signed by the Greater London Authority, the Association of London Government on behalf of London boroughs, and by most boroughs in their own right, the Government Office of London, and there is active support from DTLR and the e-envoy’s Office, the NHS, the GLA Functional Bodies including the Police and Fire Services, Transport for London and the London Development Agency, and London’s voluntary sector. (Further details of the London Connects aims, and its Board and Steering Group, are set out in Appendix 2.)

1.14 Over the past six months London Connects has hosted a series of strategic workshops to explore the views of key service providers on a range of e-issues. Some 300 people attended the ten workshops, representing 80 different organisations and agencies, and they contributed to discussions ranging from the shape of London’s public services in 2005, through IT access and literacy, a network for London, and e- enabled joined up service delivery. The outcome of these workshops, together with discussions with other stakeholder bodies, has provided the basis for this draft strategy document.

1.15 This document is a first attempt at viewing e-government in London from a strategic perspective. It recognises that the aims for improved, e-enabled service delivery, and for meeting the Government’s 2005 e-targets will require action by many individual service providers and organisations. It recognises the need to ensure an increase in collaborative working on key technology developments, and to sustain the current levels of innovation. It also acknowledges that we need to increasingly promote a wider take-up of the many successful local projects across London so that we develop and present a unified and coherent e-face for London - for its citizens, businesses and for tourists.

1.16 The document makes proposals for collaborative action in a number of areas. They are all underpinned by an approach which seeks to build on local innovation which responds to local needs and which can provide a solid foundation for the development of e-services which go beyond formal organisational boundaries.

11 1.17 We have set aside a three-month period of consultation for consideration of this document and the specific proposals we are making, during which we would like to hear as wide a range of views as possible. At the end of this period we should then have a shared view of how collectively we move forward to enable delivery of the e-enabled, high quality, services Londoners have every right to expect. Chapter 6 of this draft document contains the specific proposals and issues on which we would welcome a response.

2: The Challenge

2.1 The growth of e-business techniques, and the wider application of information and communications technologies, have transformed the way in which the global economy functions. New technology is also transforming the day-to-day lifestyles of ordinary people and now the fundamental challenge is to utilise it to bring about a transformation of London’s public services.

2.2 A strategic approach to the new economy and the ICT revolution is vital to sustain and enhance London’s globally competitive economic position. It is only by maintaining a vibrant and innovative economy that London will be able to afford the investment needed in its public services. Encouragingly, the Mayor’s e-business advisor comments, “London is better placed to capitalise on the growing use of the Internet than any other city in the UK or Europe”.

2.3 Three key initiatives are needed to underpin London’s future e-success and ensure its competitiveness - the development of mass broadband access to the Internet across London; the widespread acquisition of basic e-skills together with better appreciation of the potential of new technology; and the delivery of integrated e-public services within specific timescales.

2.4 London’s public services are a vital part of the social and economic fabric of the capital. As a world class city London and its citizens should have world class public services - in transport, education, housing, crime prevention, and health and social care. In turn these services will improve the quality of life for everyone in London, and so contribute to the continuing dynamism and attractiveness of the city.

2.5 Unfortunately London’s public services are under severe pressure. Years of under- investment have taken their toll on our core public services and the infrastructure of hospitals, houses, transport, and schools. The people of London are not receiving the quality of services they deserve. Not only should services be adequately resourced, but they should be responsive to users, high quality, based on the needs of the citizen or consumer, and provided efficiently, effectively and to the highest standards.

2.6 As yet, few public services in London have fully used information and communications technologies as a tool with which to re-engineer how services are provided, to empower clients or citizens, or to strip out, or at least question, existing paper based bureaucratic processes.

2.7 This section of the draft strategy outlines the challenges which lie at the heart of the LondonConnects enterprise. The challenges of access, of public involvement, of information, and of technology. London’s public sector will need to meet these

12 challenges if we are to build the e-enabled, public services that will be a vital part of making London an exemplary and sustainable world class city.

2.8 Boundaries between the different challenges are not always straightforward and there is inevitably much overlap. Indeed it is impossible to focus exclusively on one of these areas without touching on other issues, so for example discussion of new generation technologies will continually raise new questions of access or information management.

Skills and awareness 2.9 In order to support the city’s economy it is vital that London’s workforce increases the breadth and levels of skills available. At the same time equal access for all to knowledge and learning is vital if London’s poorest and most disadvantaged communities are to share the benefits of economic growth and contribute in turn to wealth creation. To ensure greater equality of access all Londoners should have at least basic skills in using ICT.

2.10 The possibilities of using ICT to radically transform public services will not be realised unless, within public service organisations, there is an appreciation at all levels of management of the potential for technology to transform processes and operations. The real gains from deployment of ICT do not come simply from building a web site, but rather from re-engineering entire processes.

Transport and travel 2.11 New technology offers the potential to revolutionise many parts of the transport system: from accurate real time travel information about when a bus is due to integrated smart ticketing, the possibilities are tremendous. Equally, there are many potential long-term impacts of new technology on travel in London, perhaps reducing the numbers of journeys made through a growth in home working, and almost certainly changing the frequency, times and patterns of journeys people make as society becomes more mobile.

Diversity 2.12 London is probably the most cosmopolitan city in the world. Half of the UK’s ethnic minority population lives in London. Non-white ethnic minorities make up more than a quarter of the population. More than 200 languages are spoken by children in London’s schools.

2.13 Yet many of London’s minority populations continue to experience higher than expected levels of unemployment, and are over-represented on most measures of social exclusion.

2.14 ICT can and should be a great enabler. It creates new paths for people to get involved in work and leisure, it can help provide appropriately tailored services; and stimulate people to make contacts within and beyond local communities.

2.15 A digital divide must not be allowed to grow up to mirror existing divides in London’s society. e-government investment must be made so as to ensure it benefits all sectors of the population with particular emphasis on those sectors of society with greatest needs.

Poverty and social exclusion 2.16 While London as a whole is the UK’s most affluent and productive region, it is also a city of great social disparity. Some of the UK’s highest levels of poverty and social exclusion are found in London. Nearly half of inner London school children (nearly half a million children) are entitled to free school meals. London has more unemployment than Scotland and Northern Ireland put together.

2.17 Information and communications technologies have the potential to make people’s lives easier and businesses more productive, but there are real concerns that without a coherent and integrated strategy towards technology its introduction could aggravate rather than reduce social exclusion.

Democratic renewal 2.18 Public interest and involvement in local democracy has waned during the last fifty years, and there is widespread agreement that this trend should be reversed and that people should be more engaged with their communities.

2.19 New communications and information technologies can enable the opening up of our decision making processes, can empower citizens, and can re-engage people with the processes of democracy in this country.

2.20 This is more than simply enabling votes to be cast via the Internet in elections taking place every four or five years. It is about giving citizens greater access to, and awareness of all decisions made in their names, and empowering people to take control of the decisions that affect their lives.

Governance 2.21 Alongside the formal democratic institutions, a number of other bodies exert a major influence over peoples lives. These range from hospitals and social services to schools and academic and research institutions, as well as voluntary organisations from local neighbourhood associations to national pressure groups.

2.22 Electronic technology can offer the opportunity to transform the way these different groups are organised and interact with one another, and at the local level may offer individuals a far greater chance of influencing decisions than was ever possible before.

Best value 2.23 Best value legislation sets out a statutory duty on local authorities to secure ‘best value for their communities’ by achieving year on year improvements in the cost and quality of their services. The service delivery regime is being extended to some areas of the health service and over time is expected to have a major impact on all areas of public service organisation.

2.24 The Government believes that e-Government will deliver financial efficiency savings, but is much more interested in the potential for e-government to revolutionise service quality. In many arenas e-technologies will allow ever more individually tailored and responsive services, and technology is now seen as the key enabler in securing continuous service improvement.

Electronic service delivery

14 2.25 The central challenge for e-Government centres on the development of electronic service delivery. All UK government has been charged with getting 100% of services on-line by 2005 but it is clear the real benefits of the new technologies will not come from simply automating an existing process or activity.

2.26 Technology permits us to question the very basis of many bureaucratic operations of government. Filling in a form on-line is all very well but if the form, once submitted by e-mail, is then printed out and dealt with just as it always has been, e-government would only be saving the price of a stamp!

2.27 Many routine Government processes could be re-engineered to deliver an instant response to an application or query but this will require every single process (for example in checking a claim for housing benefit) to be re-examined and re-engineered.

Life event /citizen focus 2.28 Despite the establishment of the Greater London Authority, the organisation of public services in London remains baffling and complex, with a myriad of different bodies involved in their administration. The precise geographic and bureaucratic boundaries between services are increasingly irrelevant to the majority of Londoners and almost certainly to the many visitors the city attracts.

2.29 One part of current Government thinking to ensure services are focussed on the citizen, and not prescribed by organisational boundaries, has been to develop services grouped around life events or episodes.

2.30 The UK On-line web site is intended to contain all the information and contacts you will need around an expanding range of episodes such as moving house, or dealing with a bereavement, whilst recognising that there will always be a large volume of services that do not fit neatly into such a concept. This is one sensible initial way of representing information and services, but in reality there are as many different life events as there are citizens.

2.31 Technology will soon allow us to personalise every single transaction and service delivered electronically, if this is what ordinary people want. In the meantime there are many different combinations of interaction citizens will want to have with Government, and a growing need for e-enabled multi-agency working to ensure services are packaged and delivered in ways desired by citizens, and not for the convenience of the providing organisation.

Information 2.32 The e-revolution is above all about information. The new technologies allow us to exchange information, between individuals, businesses, and governments at speeds and volumes that would have been inconceivable twenty years ago.

2.33 At the same time ever more powerful computers mean that we can process, interpret and act on information more rapidly and with increasing sophistication. Technical improvements also enable us to pose important questions about the way we organise and manage information in the future. It is crucially important that as technology take-up and penetration increases, we ensure that it is matched by increased information availability and accessibility.

15 Confidentiality 2.34 Current legislation requires agencies to provide customers or citizens with details of all information held about them. At the same time often information about one individual must not be disclosed to anyone else without that person’s express permission. E-government should mean that in future an individual will be able to see electronically their own case notes, pension, or tax files, while at the same time being confident that no-one else can access this personal information without permission.

2.35 Citizens must be sure that the confidential information they give to public servants, voluntarily or compulsorily is safely and securely held. In fact, to deliver joined up and responsive public services, public agencies will need to share more and more information about individual cases (for example so that when an elderly patient returns home from hospital, home help services are immediately activated and know about the patient’s status and condition). Managing these information flows securely and efficiently is becoming an increasingly complex task.

2.36 Developments such as smartcards, thumbprint or retina recognition may allow us to remotely and securely identify ourselves but as the types of service making use of the technology become increasingly sensitive we must be sure that whole systems are secure.

Access 2.37 The pace and nature of technological change shows little sign of slowing, and an awareness of this fact should underpin future strategy. However, there are a number of particular aspects which are particular to London that influence our vision of joined up, citizen-centred, efficient and responsive public services.

2.38 According to the latest figures, somewhere around fifty percent of Londoners have access to the internet at home. These are the highest levels in Europe. The UK also has the highest penetration of unmetered access to the Internet of any country in Europe.

2.39 London has some of highest levels of mobile telephone ownership of any region in the world. In the e-government domain, all public agencies in London have web sites, and many now put considerable resource into maintaining and updating them, but they are generally not, as yet, fully transactional nor multi-agency in their approach.

2.40 Transactional services are beginning to appear but there are concerns that these are being re-invented in each new agency that seeks to implement them. Few public services have yet built access to services through new devices - next generation mobile phones, palm tops, digital television, or games consoles. Of course, as these new channels are developed, and take-up increases, we will have to be aware of the need for greater demand management.

Infrastructure 2.41 Parts of central London benefit from some of the most advanced IT and telecommunications infrastructure available anywhere in the world. Huge international fibre connections all terminate in London. However, outside central London we do not yet seem to be benefiting from the potential economies of scale this concentration of bandwidth and capacity should offer. Home internet access in London has now reached around fifty percent of households, one of the highest figures in Europe, but the take up and penetration of the higher speed broadband connections is disapointingly slow

16 outside the central area. London must lead the way in delivering the government objective of having the most extensive and competitive broadband market in the G7 by 2005.

2.42 The Government has said it wants the UK ‘to have the most extensive and competitive broadband market in the G7 by 2005.’ [UK On-line: the broadband future, February 2001]. However, broadband take-up in the UK remains low compared with other countries. The penetration of broadband is considered important for London’s future competitiveness. E-government developments can be a powerful enabler for broadband penetration, and London has major opportunities given our relatively high population densities.

2.43 As the recent e-London report argued: ‘If the Government is to achieve its objective for 2005, London must deliver. At the same time, broadband needs to become a mass-market phenomenon - widespread use of broadband in London will create a commercial basis for its deployment throughout the UK.’

2.44 Public services need to use some of the e-government investment that is coming to develop broadband applications, as well as managing infrastructure investment, so that more and more locations in London are close to competitively priced and competing broadband offerings.

2.45 The e-envoy has underlined the Government commitment to extending broadband services and making the Internet available to all who want it. He has said ‘We’re putting in place the infrastructure to retrain and provide for e-enablement, and making access as near to universal as possible’.

2.46 As well as making affordable broadband access widely available in the domestic market, we also have to ensure a suitable broadband-based technical infrastructure that will support the increased inter-agency working, and information transfers, that are a key part of this draft strategy.

Investment and Funding 2.47 Implementing electronic government will not be cost free. The government indicates that it expects to see long term efficiency savings from investment in e- Government, but does seem to have recognised that in the short to medium term new electronic services usually have to be run in parallel with existing services, and that up- front investment is needed to deliver down-track benefits.

2.48 It is important that Government recognises that many efficiency savings or service improvements remain to be made within the bureaucracies of organisations – the customer, citizen or client may still walk up to a counter to receive the service.

2.49 The focus on direct electronic access to service has led to action focussing on services amenable to direct electronic delivery. Some of the high volume back office or internal processes have not yet been addressed because their transformation is only apparent within an organisation.

2.50 e-Government is just as much about streamlining and improving internal processes that are still ultimately delivered to citizens by a real person over a real counter.

17 2.51 Government has recognised that significant investment will be required to achieve its e-government and e-business vision for the UK, and certainly radical transformation of public services will require sustained and secure long term investment.

2.52 There will need to be investment in technology - networks and systems - but there are a number of cost considerations that will have to be examined. When three, four or five different agencies are funding a single service point who, for instance, reaps any efficient savings and how are routine bills and costs met?

2.53 Investment will also need to be made in staff training, in change management and other ‘soft’ skills and it seems reasonable to expect that new models of strategic partnership are likely to develop both with the private sector and voluntary sector and between public sector organisations.

Confidence 2.54 The use of new technology is often presented as the way to achieve significant economies and dramatic service improvements, despite the fact that the public sector has had more than its share of large scale failed investments in ICT projects.

2.55 Often the reality is that many vital services are delivered by dedicated staff struggling to cope and make do with old or near obsolete systems or systems that are only just able to do the job. Many of the well-publicised problems of housing benefit administration in London are, at least in part, due to inadequate IT systems.

2.56 Customers, staff, and politicians need to feel confident that the public money is being wisely invested in technology that works and which delivers real benefits. New systems, especially in essential public services must be robust and secure. When systems fail, there must be failsafe back ups. We must build on the applications of technology that work, and make certain that we minimise reinvention of the wheel.

3: The Response

3.1 The necessary response to the challenges set out in the previous section has to be considered at a number of levels. From Government; from organisations in the public, private and voluntary sectors; from regional agencies; and from communities and individuals.

3.2 At a national level the Government has published an e-Government strategic framework (e-Government; a strategic framework for public services in the information age, April 2000), which set down four guiding principles:

• Building services around citizen’s choices • Making Government and its services more accessible • Ensuring that technology does not create a digital divide between those with ready access to electronic media, and those without: and • Using information more effectively

3.3 Coupled with the publication of the strategic framework, the Government set a target of 100% electronic service delivery capability by 2005, and the Spending Review 2000 identified new money to support this purpose. A fuller description of this national context is set out, as background, in Appendix 4 to this draft document.

18 3.4 At an organisational level the challenges we have set out, and the principles underpinning the national strategy, raise some fundamental issues which all organisations are having to address.

3.5 How do we listen to service users and respond to their needs?

3.6 How do we build on the professional strengths of the public sector to make sure they adjust to the new expectations of service quality and delivery?

3.7 How do we create incentives for innovation, so that the best practice can be promoted across all sections of the public sector?

3.8 How do we streamline our work, so that funding is released to increase investment in front-line services?

3.9 How do we provide and fund technology so that the staff who deliver services have the best tools to do their job and people enjoy the easy access they want?

3.10 In addressing these issues most public service providers are now recognising the need for a clear management focus on customer-facing services (often referred to as front-office), and those business processes and systems (often referred to as back- office) which are crucially needed in support.

3.11 In the last few years technology has stimulated new thinking around front-office service provision, and many organisations have gone down a route which offers a number of channels for interaction between the citizen and the organisation, and which enhance and complement the traditional channels.

These new channels include: • Call centres, which aim to provide a single telephone access point for a specific service or group of services, and thereby also reducing the demands on front-line staff who might otherwise be required to handle a response. • Portals, which provide a single (often web-based) gateway to public, private or voluntary sector services; again operating either within services and organisations, or increasingly providing full multi-agency accessibility. • Local Service Centres, providing physical access points to public services, fully e-enabled so that enquiries can be dealt with on the spot. • Smart-Cards, which have the potential to increase citizen participation in a wide range of public services.

3.12 The increased focus on customer-driven and e-enabled service organisation and delivery is crucially dependent upon a transformation in the supporting ‘back-office’ services, which in the past were often designed for internal ease of use rather than the benefit of customers.

3.13 Technology is now capable of providing e-solutions which can easily be customised, opening up new opportunities for collaborative development and shared approaches to application hosting.

3.14 A recent SOCITM (London) survey identified a wide range of back office systems which were currently being considered by individual organisations for replacement, and which represent a real opportunity for shared development. We are proposing a review

19 of this potential to determine whether there are further opportunities for partnership working, and for attracting external development funding. The review will also assess the extent to which national e-initiatives are being taken up in London, and the reasons for any decisions not to implement.

3.15 At the local community level ICT has a key role to play in supporting neighbourhood renewal. It can help release the creative potential of people and communities, and enable the acquisition of skills which can open up new employment opportunities. The e-challenge is to provide support for local networking and capacity building, and for the export of good practice; and to make the connections between work, e-services and interventions at a community, Borough and London-wide level. This draft strategy makes proposals in response to this challenge.

3.16 At a London level there are a number of agencies who have a key role to play in delivering the e-Government agenda, and these are summarised in Appendix 3 of this document. At the Londonwide level we have proposed four key objectives to support the overall aim of providing e-enabled, excellent public services across the city, and which will inform and determine the LondonConnects work programme.

• To provide a unified e-face for London’s public services. • To promote and support collaborative working. • To ensure the benefits of technology are available to all. • To use technology to encourage public participation in democratic processes.

These key objectives are considered further in this section of the document.

Objective : To provide a unified e-face for London’s public services

3.17 People who use services often have no great respect for organisational or geographic boundaries. We all want access at times that suit us; in locations that suit us (at home, work or out and about); and in ways that suit us whether this by telephone, through face to face contact, or electronically.

3.18 It is already clear that there will be a steady growth in the take-up of electronic access to public services and the Government target of having all public services e-enabled by 2005 will add further impetus to this trend.

3.19 We know there will need to be a range of access methods, both electronic through personal computers, mobile phones, kiosks and digital television and by more traditional methods such as the telephone.

3.20 In London, all public service organisations now have a website. Some are well- developed and go beyond the straightforward provision of simple information provision and signposting, by providing a full transactional capability. A number have also started the planning necessary to provide a multi-agency approach. The strategic projects listed in Appendix 1 show where some of this innovative work is taking place.

3.21 These include a single public access portal to serve four Boroughs in south-west London, led by the London Borough of Kingston; a multi-agency portal being developed by the London Borough of Barnet, which will include a focus on e-democracy and on disadvantaged groups; a collaborative project, led by the London Borough of

20 Lewisham, to use life events in designing access to services through one-stop shops, kiosks, and video-conferencing ; and a major initiative in the London Borough of Merton to ensure service delivery is fully multi-agency focussed.

A London portal 3.22 To complement the developments now taking place locally we now need to go one step further and establish a capital-wide London Portal - and set up Londononline.gov.uk.

3.23 Unlike other major world cities, London does not at present have a single capital- wide portal, and establishing the London Portal will be high profile evidence of the city’s commitment and ability to retain it place as the e-capital of the UK and Europe.

3.24 It will provide an entry point for all public services in the capital and, equally importantly, will provide a real stimulus to help build the partnerships and collaborative networks which are essential for developing a successful e-strategy.

Specifically the London Portal will: • provide the necessary architecture and ‘gateway’ facilities for all the connections necessary to link individual agencies; and to provide the necessary security and authentication features. • complement and link to other service organisation web-sites, other key public service portals (including NHSNeT, UKOnLine), and to private sector portals where these are an integral part of delivering public services to the citizen. • provide a London-wide focus to handle consultation on major policy proposals in the city. • facilitate the local and sub-regional ‘pathfinder’ developments; and act as a test-bed for further innovative projects, particularly those that exploit broadband access as it is made available across London. • use outputs from the current London strategic e-projects to inform the development of the portal.

3.25 After listening to the views of all those who contributed to the earlier strategy workshops we believe there is a compelling case for proceeding with the development of a London Portal and we will want to hear the views of all the key agencies and stakeholders on how best to develop and implement.

Over the next three months LondonConnects will therefore: • develop a business case and demonstrator to support a bid for Government funding, which would then enable the portal to be public sector led, with delivery and support provided by the private sector. • consider, with Central Government, whether the ukonline.gov.uk service and its associated Gateway could be customised in such a way that it could be used as the basis for Londononline.gov.uk • discuss with the LDA and London First whether Londononline.gov.uk could host any further web-based services for those seeking to set up and do business in the City. • discuss with the London Tourist Board, and other agencies, whether Londononline.gov.uk could host any further web-based services for those visiting London. • discuss with the voluntary sector whether Londononline.gov.uk could host

21 any web-based services for those seeking to access voluntary services across the city • consider how to provide gateways from local community web-sites to Borough web-sites, and London-wide portals. • put in place a management framework which ensures a tight linkage with those involved in London ‘Pathfinder’ portal work, including the APLAWS, EXSEL, LEAP and the Kingston Single Public Access projects ( summarised below); those responsible for other London wide service portals; and with the LondonConnects partner organisations.

Single public access Kingston Council, in partnership with its neighbouring boroughs Hounslow, Merton and Richmond, has been awarded £3.5m by Invest to Save funding to help develop the ‘SouthWest London Extranet’. The extranet will link each of the boroughs’ data systems and provide the public and businesses with information and access to a wide range of public services through a single access point, without people having to visit each of the separate council websites. Once in operation the new extranet service will cater for a residential population of nearly 700,000 residents in the South West London areas, providing them with up to date information and services on their local areas as well as access to information about Government departments, public agencies and voluntary bodies.

For further details contact [email protected]

A London Smart-Card 3.26 Smart-Card technology is now moving from innovation to operational use. It is a technology with the potential to provide access to a wide range of services from electronic cash payment to the provision of personal data without the need for form- filling, and its increased uptake can also provide a source of data on aggregate use which over time can provide valuable inputs into policy and operational service planning.

3.27 Smart-Cards themselves are the same size as a credit card. They can contain a radio aerial, which obviates the need for swiping through a read-device; and they have a silicon chip which can store and process far more information than is possible on the ubiquitous magnetic strip. Data held on a Smart-Card can be periodically refreshed.

3.28 Early pilots suggest the use of Smart-Cards will evolve progressively over a three to four year period. Initial simple service access will move on to embrace appropriate authentication and access safeguards ; and then later enabling full payment and e-purse facilities. London already has three particularly significant smart-card initiatives, one developed by the LB of Newham, one by Transport for London, and one by Southwark Police.

3.29 The Government, through the e-Envoy’s office, has already set up a number of smart-card policy groups, which should result in a national technical framework. Once this is in place we can expect a rapid increase in smart-card developments, and therefore a growing market stimulus.

22 3.30 The early experiences in smart-card usage in both the EC and the UK have already shown that it can be a key driver in bringing about cross-agency working, improved targeting of service provision and in reducing fraud. A Londonwide approach should help achieve these aims and to bring about the public private partnerships which will be an essential means of funding.

LondonConnects will therefore:

• work with the London Borough of Newham, TfL, and Southwark Police to maintain a wide awareness of the early stages of these and other smart-card projects in the capital ; and will monitor progress elsewhere in the UK of developing smart-card applications. • initiate work to explore the implications of developing a ‘London-wide Smart-card’, considering the range of applications and uses which are possible, the probable timescales for development and roll-out , and the potential sources of funding.

Southwark Youth Smart Card This scheme is developing a ‘smart card’ that will reward secondary school pupils for good school attendance, positive behaviour and citizenship by giving them points which can be exchanged for access to local leisure, arts centres and internet cafes. This innovative scheme is being led by Southwark Police Partnership Team together with the Southwark Council’s Youth Offending Team and other council departments. It aims to reduce levels of truancy, school exclusions, crime and anti-social behaviour and encourage young people to be more locally involved. Private sector partners who are also actively engaged in developing the project include London Bronco’s Rugby League, London Knights Ice Hockey, Surrey County Cricket Club, Millwall Football Club, London Towers Basketball and the Globe Theatre. Additional funding has also been secured from McDonalds restaurants and the Metropolitan Police Service. Other benefits of the ‘smartcard’ scheme, which will cover all 17 secondary schools in the borough, include an estimated saving of more than £1.5m in the cost of dealing with crime, truancy, school and social exclusion over two years. For more information contact Sergeant Dave Payne or Sergeant Guy Beattie on [email protected] or [email protected]

Networks and Access 3.31 ‘The Government has said that it wants the UK to ‘have the most extensive and competitive broadband market in the G7 by 2005’. This is essential if London is to remain at the forefront of the e-world, and affordable broadband is indispensable to this aim. At present, the basic reason for buying broadband connectivity is to get faster access to narrowband services, as few broadband services of any real relevance have yet been developed. A mass market to sell into is a prerequisite for the development of broadband services, and the principal obstacle to the growth of the market is the high price of broadband to the consumer’

23 (E-London: An outline of London’s opportunities and challenges; GLA 2001)

3.32 The provision of both an inter-agency and domestic broadband ICT infrastructure in London is a key component of the proposed e-Government Strategy. In particular, a broadband infrastructure is needed to:

• support inter-agency information transfer, with appropriate security and authentication facilities, especially to permit live transactions with real- time processing. • provide two-way, 24/7 access to and from the Londononline.gov.uk portal, and underlying interactive services as they develop. Work is needed to identify high-volume transactions that take place between public authorities so that networking requirements are based on a sound understanding of the scale of the activity. • enable universal, affordable, access (home, customer service locations etc), and thereby ensuring a high rate of e-literacy amongst residents and businesses. • support the incubation and roll-out of new and innovative broadband supported applications, which could include remote hosting. • avoid any sense of a digital divide, by ensuring the availability of those broadband-based easy-to-use applications that are needed to encourage take-up by those less confident when dealing with technology.

3.33 These are clearly requirements which will stimulate the need for widely available, affordable, broadband provision, but for as long as the core infrastructure is not in place there will be a dearth of specific applications. This clearly needs action at Government level. There must be public funding available to support the building of the broadband infrastructure, and also to develop those early applications which will act as a stimulus for continuing private sector investment. The presence of such a trusted public sector infrastructure will rapidly drive up levels of trust and confidence in e-commerce across all sectors.

A public services network for London 3.34 Workshops ahead of this consultation examined the value of establishing a public sector network to provide inter-agency working within London’s public sector, and how this could best be achieved. Much infrastructure is, of course, already in place, including the Internet itself, the Government Secure Intranet (GSI), London-wide service-specific private networks and secure VPN systems in individual organisations. The discussions did, though, support the case for establishing a dedicated London Public Services Network.

We therefore propose to: • explore the possibility of partnering with the London Grid for Learning network (LGfL) to provide a London Public Services Network. This would have the known advantages of a private network, including predictable and controllable costs for usage and additional capacity; would provide levels of security and authentication commensurate with the hosted applications; and would ensure guaranteed levels of service and throughput. We will assess the extent to which this approach would represent a more cost-effective approach than one which is more piece-meal. • Undertake research into the type and nature of suitable applications which could potentially benefit from broadband provision, produce guidelines for

24 system developers, and seek to develop a market for their mass production.

Objective : To promote, encourage and support collaborative working

Working Together 3.35 LondonConnects will engage with a wide range of public and private sector partners covering the London region. This will not always be easy and a major challenge in developing easy access to e-service will be to overcome fragmentation between and sometimes within, different organisations and sectors.

3.36 We believe London can develop effective joint working and to build on the wide range of joint e-Government initiatives which are already underway - many of them at local level. There is already a strong commitment to achieve this among the partners of LondonConnects.

Current Status 3.37 London currently suffers from a lack of good, clear, well organised and accessible information about e-Government developments and initiatives across the capital. This is preventing organisations’ learning from the experience of others and applying approaches which have been successful. Public awareness and knowledge of IT developments and of public service provision in London is generally uneven and there is widespread agreement that much more needs to be done to improve the information base.

3.38 LondonConnects will fill this gap by developing web based information services including linkages to organisations own public information, and by providing resources to identify approaches with wide applicability. Specific proposals are contained elsewhere in this document.

3.39 Most London Local Authorities are in the course of developing internal capacity around e-Government. This has been promoted by the process of preparing IEG Statements. Some authorities are more advanced than others. Many suffer from internal fragmentation of effort and weaknesses in coordination but this is starting to be addressed. Most are starting to develop some key external linkages, particularly with the NHS, the voluntary sector and the police. This will be given further impetus by the development of Local Strategic Partnerships, which government is encouraging within Local Authority areas.

3.40 The other key elements of the public and voluntary sector such as the NHS, RSLs, Police etc. have their own ‘e-service’ plans and are at varying stages of development. Each sector has a different set of local physical boundaries, and each has varying level of regional direction and co-ordination. Within these local organisations they tend to have local plans and flexibility.

3.41 In addition to the arrangements within and between individual organisations, sub-regional e-working is starting to operate at two main levels.

• Specific projects which often involve partners in a number of sectors. eg ISBs, EU projects etc. These are often based on an area of London but some have partners from a number of areas. • Organised joint working over a sub regional area, across a number of sectors. Some of these arrangements are based on existing linkages

25 eg joint work on regeneration.

The Way Forward 3.42 Currently most of the joint e-government projects tend to focus on delivering a single set of defined outcomes. LondonConnects will aim to provide resources to facilitate a more strategic approach to joint working. This will involve gaining agreement for longer-term e-service objectives and a programme of work to achieve them including a number of sub-projects. The approach will support the growing requirements for joint service planning in areas such as Health, Education and Housing plus the new local Community Plans; and will be used to achieve a wider sharing amongst organisations covering involvement, ownership and information.

3.43 Establishing networks to promote successful local initiatives is a key element of the overall objectives. Given the number of players in each locality it is impractical for such co-operation and planning to work on a London-wide basis, and a number of sub- regional groups are already beginning to operate, typically covering an area represented by five or six London Borough boundaries. LondonConnects will support and encourage the development of these groups, and their evolution, so that they become fully representative of all the public service agencies developing e-Government services in the sub-region.

Early benefits from this multi-agency working are already evident. As one example, work has started on a project to assist all London Local Authorities and sections of the NHS achieve joint working via secure IT linkages and arrangements for sharing information.

The initiative has been prepared by representatives from the NHS Executive in London, the Health Authorities and the NHS Information Authority together with representatives from a number of Local Authorities, SOCITM and the ADSS IT Group representing Social Services Departments, together with the London Health Observatory.

The plan is to hold Londonwide workshops for NHS and Local Authority colleagues on NHS connectivity and security and on information sharing arrangements and protocols. These workshops will draw on national best practice which will also be published for general guidance and information on the LondonConnects website. The main outcome from this work will be to prepare a bid for funding to achieve secure physical connectivity between all of the 33 London Local Authorities and NHS Net to facilitate effective joint working between Local Authorities and NHS partners right across London.

Plans to promote and develop successful inter-sector working need a programme of discussion and analysis covering a range of potential partners and options. Some of the issues that need to be covered are:

• How well do we understand existing/required cross-sector flows/linkages? • Is there a need for research to increase our understanding and to help build increased partnership working? • Are there good examples of local cross-sector working that can be promoted elsewhere? • Do we know what specific cross-sector innovation projects are underway?

26 LondonConnects will thus promote a variety of approaches to joint working between partners including:

• Local capacity building. • Information sharing. • Sharing good practice and joint purchasing arrangements. • Planned inter sector working. • Use of pilot projects with results shared. • Co-ordinated work with the private sector, including infrastructure development. • Developing and promoting a common framework, policies and standards. • Lobbying for London, including marketing and awareness raising. • Developing and promoting key London-wide projects. • Providing a common link to national initiatives.

3.44 In terms of management arrangements, the LondonConnects Board will operate at the top level, providing overall direction, and ensuring the necessary linkages with the key players. It has representation from the GLA, the ALG, and the Government Office for London, and this is likely to be enhanced as the LondonConnects work programme is developed and implemented.

3.45 The Board is supported by a broadly-based Steering Group representing the LondonConnects partners at senior officer level. This group provides the main focus for progressing developments, particularly ensuring appropriate cross-sector working. Consideration is being given to establishing a further Advisory Group, with representation from the private sector.

In order to further develop collaborative working LondonConnects will therefore:

• develop a programme, overseen by the LondonConnects Steering Group, based on opportunities for inter-sector partnership working around e-Government. This will be further explored and defined, in a series of meetings with LondonConnects partner organisations during the period set aside for consultation on this draft strategy. These meetings will examine: • The benefits of the proposed London Public Services Network in supporting the necessary information flows between organisations. • Shared approaches and standards for security and encryption. • Mapping existing joint work , and identifying new areas for collaborative working. • shared approaches to common e-training needs. • Review the existing strategic e-projects in London (including Pathfinders and ISB-funded work) to define the practical steps necessary to ensure their wider take-up in London, and to identify the tangible products that are capable of export to the wider London public sector. • Review existing e-strategies of the LondonConnects partner organisations to assess the potential for further collaborative working, and thereby further central Government funding. • Carry out a study into local community web-sites in London, and work with ‘Communities Online’ to run a London-wide seminar to explore the potential for spreading best practice, and opening up funding opportunities to support local communities in their e-endeavours. • Support and promote the establishment of ‘shareware’ clubs, which will

27 facilitate the bringing together of all those bodies and agencies with an interest in a single e-Government project (building on the approach developed by LB of Newham for its customer relationship system). • Support key inter-sector groups to co-ordinate and promote inter-working between sectors at both a London-wide and sub-regional level. • develop a LondonConnects web-site over the next six months. Work is now underway to specify initial content, and it is intended that the site will be fully operational by 1 April 2002. It will initially contain: • A project register giving summary details and hyperlinks for all key strategic projects, including Pathfinders, Invest to Save, and other Government and EC funded initiatives; together with links to relevant research work or key policy issues. • A contacts register of all those engaged in London’s e-Government, and hyperlinks to all useful web-sites. • Details of e-funding sources, both UK and EC based. • Access to the papers from the cross-sector/sub-regional groups that are considered in Section 4E of this document, and to the Business/IT strategies of LondonConnects partner organisations. • Discussion forums to enable the capture of a wide range of views on key e-policy components (e.g. Smart-Cards, e-democracy, social inclusion). • An e-index, providing links to relevant web sites, including: - Government legislation, policies, standards and infrastructure. - Government’s knowledge network and best practice. - Appropriate surveys and research. - National E-Government services. • develop, with oversight from the LondonConnects Steering Group, an annual review of e-activity in London which will help inform future strategic direction; be available on the LondonConnects website; and provide the basis for an annual London e-Government Conference, which it is planned to hold in May/June of each year.

Objective: To ensure the benefits of technology are available to all

3.46 Much mention is made of the digital divide, but just what is it? The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) defines the digital divide as ‘the gap between individuals, households, businesses and geographic areas at different socio-economic levels with regard both to their opportunities to access information and communication technologies (ICTs) and to their use of the internet for a wide range of activities.’

3.47 Concern about the development of a so-called digital divide has been increasing in government circles over the last five years. As ICT driven change begins to happen across the whole of society - with e-commerce, e-government, e-shopping, e-learning and e-democracy - research data shows, unsurprisingly, that it is the wealthy and well educated who are most likely to have home internet access, and that there is a growing gap between the richest and the poorest in terms of levels of access to the information society.

3.48 At nearly fifty percent, London already has the highest levels of home internet access of any of the English regions but the few figures available for analysis at a London level suggest that the gap between rich and poor in terms of home access to the internet

28 is just as wide as elsewhere. In London, a number of London boroughs have begun to collect information about the local position but detailed capital-wide figures on a borough by borough basis are still not available.

3.49 The digital divide will be addressed just as much by education, literacy and skill initiatives as by programme directly aimed at tackling poverty. A report by Local Futures suggests that division will be eroded as London becomes a better educated city. By 2010 it is estimated that half of the city’s workforce will be educated to degree level but clearly there are still major problems to be addressed between now and then. Some enthusiasts argue that access to new technology, coupled with training programmes, by themselves provide a route out of poverty.

3.50 Considerable funding has been put into a wide range of community ICT projects in the hope that this is the case, however there is, as yet, little hard evidence to show what effect these projects will have in the long term. There are many gaps in our knowledge about the links between access to and use of technology and deprivation.

e-Government and the Digital Divide. 3.51 When concerns are expressed that those already most marginalised in our society, who tend to be amongst the heaviest users of public services, are the least likely to access public services on-line, the standard response is that the resources saved by dealing with simple or straightforward transactions on-line will be available to be ploughed back in to front line services for the most needy.

3.52 This may sound good in theory, however in practice few e-Government projects have yet achieved the really significant cost savings that have been shown to be possible when private sector firms re-engineer their business processes.

3.53 Local government and national government budgetting practices make it hard to identify such savings in any event. If the preferred model for accessing many services in future is to be via a home PC or digital television, then clearly those who cannot afford to buy the equipment or subscribe to services will still be disadvantaged, even if there is a state of the art one stop public services centre just around the corner.

What is being done? 3.54 There are of course, many initiatives already under way to address the digital divide. The government is funding the establishment of physical UK On-line centres across the country, and last year Gordon Brown launched a scheme to provide reconditioned second hand computers to people living in deprived areas.

3.55 There are many skills and training programmes, and the National Grid for Learning aims to ensure that the whole of the next generation is IT literate from the start. Many London boroughs have won funding for pilot projects in local areas.

What LondonConnects can do 3.56 There remains a lack of good socio-demographic information about the detailed nature of the digital divide at a sub-regional level. At the same time there is little information about the differing levels of penetration of different kinds of access technologies - dtv, PC, WAP phone, games console etc. Nor is there much information about what kinds of interventions are most successful at the local level, or about what the main barriers to participation are. If we want to aim for universal access to the internet, is there a minimum technical standard that should be set?

3.57 Over the coming months LondonConnects will take part in a major study being developed by the Greater London Authority and London Development Agency, to accurately map the digital divide in London and build a better information base about the impacts of technology access and training on ordinary peoples lives.

3.58 This research will collate robust base data covering the whole of London. It will explore in detail the reasons for non-take up of ICT, which undoubtedly include price, but also questions of confidence, competence in use and the availability of interesting or useful content and services.

3.59 The study will also examine whether there are specific combinations of factors which particularly effect certain groups, such as older people, people from ethnic minority communities, or the young unemployed. It will make practical recommendations for LondonConnects and its partners, about the kinds of interventions most likely to have a positive impact on narrowing the digital divide.

3.60 LondonConnects will encourage all London boroughs to collect information about the digital divide and will work to ensure that such information is collected in a standard and easily shared form.

Objective : To use new technology to encourage public participation in democratic processes

3.61 ‘Perhaps the most democratising aspect of the Internet is the ability for people to organize and communicate in groups. It is within the context of electronic free assembly and association that citizens will gain new opportunities for participation and a voice in politics, governance, and society. In the next decade, those active in developing the Internet and building democracy have an opportunity to sow the seeds for ‘democracy online’ in the next century. Like the founding of any modern nation, the choices made today, the ideals upheld, the rules adopted, and the expectations created will determine the opportunities for democratic engagement for generations to come.’ [Steven Clift, Democracy is Online (http://www.publicus.net/ebook/)]

3.62 The internet is expected have a profound effect on the way democracy functions in the future. There is a need for Government to explore the potential impact of the new information and communications technologies on our democratic processes. To date the emphasis in e-Government in this country has been on Electronic Service Delivery. However, democratic e-government is clearly about much more than service delivery.

3.63 e-Democracy focuses on the processes of democratic control and policy making, rather than on government as a deliverer of services. The benefits and costs of e-Democracy seem almost impossible to quantify. What value do we place on a more participative democracy or on policy development processes that actively involve citizens in decision making?

3.64 It is important to remember that the technology only presents us with new sets of tools. We should identify those areas of democratic practice where technology can offer potentially new opportunities for citizens. The technology already exists to enable live referenda and we need to consider how this form of direct democracy should develop alongside our tradition of representative democracy.

3.65 The Government has just announced a new series of pilot projects to test various technologies in voting. However while e-voting in elections may generate efficiency savings and even promote wider access to the polls, the main business of democracy is carried out between elections, when decisions are taken, taxes raised, and public money is spent. This is the business of debate, dialogue, deliberation and decision making. Some e-democracy enthusiasts argue that we need to find a ‘virtual’ equivalent for every existing part of our democratic activity, from the informal and voluntary - demonstrations and public meetings; lobby groups, pressure groups and campaigns - to the statutory processes - formal public consultation and dialogue, and holding elected representatives and officials to account.

3.66 Turnouts in national elections are declining. Turnouts in local elections hover around thirty percent, and even with the high profile media coverage and an extensive government advertising campaign, turnout for the election of the first Mayor of London failed to reach forty percent.

3.67 London needs to explore whether and how new interactive communications technology can re-invigorate our democratic processes at local and regional level. What things work and what don’t? Some suggest that, well used, new communications technology can empower local communities but this must be more than simple self completion surveys and opinion polls. Within the realm of civil society we need better to understand how e-Democracy developments can support local people, voluntary groups and pressure groups, what public authorities should do and what these developments may mean for established political parties and elected politicians.

Where are we now? 3.68 London boroughs are among the leading developers of e-government systems within the country. Innovative trials have taken place or are under way in Brent, Lewisham, Camden, Newham and elsewhere. Boroughs have been successful in winning European and national funding for these projects. Within the voluntary sector in London significant resource has been spent getting people and organisations connected. We also know that nearly fifty percent of Londoners now have access to the internet at home, and that the penetration of mobile ‘phones is the highest of any region in the country. During consultation on the Mayor’s transport strategy the internet proved the most popular channel for accessing the documents.

Principles for action 3.69 The development of e-democracy is at an early stage. More pilot activity is required but pilots now need to be larger scale.

3.70 Where-ever possible pilot activity should target marginalised or excluded groups - these may be sectors of society known to be un-phased by technology but alienated from the democratic process, such as the young; groups more democratically active but less advanced in their use of technology, such as older people; and sections of society experiencing multiple deprivation, such as refugee communities.

Taking it forward LondonConnects will:

• Seek to bring together the lessons being learnt from all the many experiments that are taking place; to develop criteria to identify

31 successful e-democracy projects; and to develop an information base of specific products and applications that are available and work. This work will identify gaps in practice which future projects could seek to address in a more co-ordinated manner.

• Convene a policy workshop on e-democracy during the consultation period, and will make e-democracy the key theme for the June 2002 London e-Government conference.

4: London e-Government 2005

4.1 The challenges outlined in Chapter 2 need to be approached in a co-ordinated way. All strategic and local plans for London now recognise the need for effective ICT and are developing appropriate programmes of work. An e-government strategy, therefore, should be developed to tackle all the challenges, linking into other initiatives where appropriate.

The specific challenge for e-Government has been set out by the Government itself as:

• Building services around citizens’ choices. • Making government and its services more accessible. • Social inclusion. • Using information more effectively.

Our response is fully set out in Chapter 3, which proposes a London-wide programme to underpin four key objectives.

• To provide a unified e-face for London. • To promote and support collaborative working. • To ensure the benefits of technology are available to all. • To use technology to encourage public participation in democratic processes.

4.2 To deliver this agenda and link in with the other strategic policies for London, it is vital to form a vision for the city: a clear and strategic vision of London as an information society, backed by political, community and business leaders.

4.3 In order to help stimulate debate, this chapter therefore looks ahead and provides one perspective of how technology could be used to make life easier for those in need of, and using, public services across the city.

E-Government Vision for London 4.4 The vision for London is one where Londoners, visitors and business can easily access services or make service requests at times to suit them, which in some instances can be 24 hours a day, 365 days a year; and by convenient access methods and through a range of access points, without the need to understand the government organisation structure. Services should be user focused, harmonised across the capital, offering information in a meaningful way with clear responsibility for delivery: put simply, a connected, accessible London.

4.5 This vision must be underpinned by a strategy that ensures information and services can be accessed via a number of methods or channels. These channels will include

32 traditional one stop service centres and telephone call centres; and by self service access using a PC, digital television (DTV), interactive terminal , mobile phone or a personal digital assistant (PDA). Public access points will be made available in all libraries, schools, business and community centres and other public offices.

4.6 This physical access strategy will be supported by a technical strategy, setting standards for security and authentication technologies, by a national standard for smart-cards, by free internet and email access via public access points, and by fast low cost access from the home.

Benefits of e-Government 4.7 Access to quality information and readily accessible technology is a fundamental principle of an e-Government strategy for London. Access will deliver improved services, wider consultation and increased social inclusion and quality of life, by providing flexibility for people in communities to better manage their own lives.

Access will allow citizens to more easily contribute to the democratic process by:

• Providing opportunities to input or feedback comments on pan London issues or policies including economic development, transport, education, crime prevention and health care. This will give politicians and decision makers a much clearer understanding of Londoners’ views. • Enabling citizens to contact their local representative to discuss local issues or concerns such as a poor refuse service or inadequate leisure amenities, planning matters and community developments.

4.8 Access will improve public service delivery by enabling seamless access to public services regardless of location. Services will be focused on citizens’ needs rather than limited by organisation boundaries or administrative convenience, and will often be based around life episodes or other customer orientated subjects. Seamless access will remove service barriers and enable London to respond as a cohesive entity.

4.9 Most public sector organisations are large and complex. Numerous surveys show that they are often a mystery to the people who require or receive their services. It is often the case that people need services that span traditional operational boundaries. This is a problem in a normal city or town but is considerably aggravated across London which is served by 33 different local authorities and 14 different health authority areas, by two Police Forces, by five Learning Skills Councils, 1000’s of voluntary bodies and numerous other organisations.

4.10 As organisations try to modernise their own service delivery through the use of one stop shops, call centres and web access, these developments will need to be co- ordinated to provide the necessary seamless access. This will ensure that customers or citizens of London will be able to get the services and information they need, in the way they want them; quickly, accurately and cost effectively, regardless of the health authority or local authority they live or work in. For example, someone should be able to pay their parking fine incurred in Lambeth by walking into a One-Stop Centre in Lewisham, or online through the London portal.

Access will help local communities to develop by:

• Providing electronic forums to enable contact between various groups both

33 locally and across London. The approach would allow dispersed groups to join up in virtual communities. • Encouraging different groups such as residents’ associations, youth groups, community centres, voluntary organisations and local businesses to come together through electronic news groups or local newsletters. • Providing information to develop self-help groups and empower communities and neighbourhoods to develop their own solutions, making them less dependent on the state.

Access will reduce social exclusion, and empower and support individuals and communities by:

• Making information more available. • Providing improved access to job opportunities. • Allowing people to live more independently and creatively. • Providing the means to generate new businesses. • Overcoming social and geographical isolation. • Improving access for people with disabilities.

4.11 Access will improve skills development in basic IT literacy, complex IT skills and other non-IT related development programmes.

4.12 It is only when access to technology is assured that computer literacy can begin to be tackled effectively. Access is not simply about having use of up-to-date technology; it will also include access to qualified teachers, access to appropriate software and learning materials on the web, as well as the promotion of a climate that fosters social inclusion.

4.13 Skills development in the use of technology is key to enabling individuals to realise the benefits described above.

4.14 Improved access would also have a number of indirect benefits. The universal access provided by a connected London would enable public sector staff to telework either from their home or other public access points. This would provide more flexible working. If 50% of the working population were able to work from home one day per month, this would reduce commuting pressures by 2-3%! It would enable social care workers to make on-site appointments for clients. And it would enable service users to track the progress and status of an application for a service.

Key achievements for a connected London will be:

• Londoners will benefit from one of the most advanced integrated transport ticketing services in the world, together with state of the art, multi-channel, transport and travel information. • The London public services portal will be on-line to locally, regionally and nationally administered public services ; and underpinned by common city- wide standards for authentication and payment. • Major advances will have been made to ensure the inclusion of all citizens in London, both in terms of access to services and basic skills. • Domestic broadband penetration will be increasing rapidly and all newly built developments will be e-enabled during construction. • Every Londoner will have ready accessibility to a public access point to

34 connect to London’s e-services. • The London smart-card will be widely available and will provide easy access to a range of services and facilities.

Connected London 4.15 Will enable access to services by the use of a universal smart card. For example this will allow a twelve year old to travel to school using their London Travel card. At lunch time the card can be used to claim a free school meal, without anyone knowing that it was pre-paid or not; then to use the card at the local library to check out books needed for homework. Once at home the card can be used to authenticate access to the school web site, in order to download class notes and the next homework assignment.

Connected London 4.16 Will enable a woman visiting her elderly mother in hospital to find a residential home for her when she is discharged. The hospital will provide online terminals where patients or their relatives can access all the available residential properties, by areas of London. The next day the women visits a range of homes and after discussion with her mother books a place immediately through the hospital’s terminal.

Connected London 4.17 Will enable a resident with limited mobility living in a sheltered housing project to contact friends without leaving home. The housing project will have a local community network available over the digital TV service to enable easy communication with residents. The resident is even able to contact old friends around the world and across the city where she used to live, through the email facility on iDTV or in the local community centre.

Connected London 2005 4.18 Will enable personalised one stop electronic access to London’s public services. Logging on to the London Portal will provide a personalised screen tailored specifically to the individual’s needs. For example an individual will specify exactly what information they wish to be presented on their home page.

5: Making it Happen

5.1 This draft strategy is seeking to stimulate discussion on the impact of technology on the provision of public services in London, and poses some key questions. Can we harness the technology so that we can genuinely provide a customer-focused service? How do we build on the good work already being done, and ensure best practice is replicated across all of London’s public services? Can we motivate and empower the staff who provide our services, and associated support; and can we give them the tools to do the job? Can we achieve the necessary up-front investment that will deliver the down-track benefits?

5.2 If we have a clear vision of e-enabled excellence in our public service delivery, will it all work? Much has been written about the ingredients of e-success, particularly where that success is critically dependent upon partnerships and collaborative working; and we are all familiar with the high profile failures that have occurred, and where technology has been the central component.

35 5.3 A recent survey of senior public sector managers exposed some real concerns about delivery of the e-agenda ; about funding, too many things to do, lack of skills and initiative overload. Perhaps the survey failed to bring out the challenges of working across organisational boundaries, which are about re-engineering our business systems and processes, not just bolting-on a front-end e-component; about funding mechanisms which promote and encourage working across and between sectors; and about opening up access to information, whilst ensuring we have appropriate safeguards and security firmly in place.

5.4 When the three-month consultation period for this draft document ends, and we are able to reflect comments and feedback in a final strategy, it will be important to clearly identify those delivery mechanisms which need to be in place if we are to convert our strategic aspirations into actual improvements on the ground.

5.5 We must ensure that there is clarity on the resources and capacity required for delivery; where accountability and responsibility lies for implementation of specific components; and that we have a performance measurement framework in place, with key indicators enabling the tracking of progress on a year-by-year basis. These will all be fully considered in the final strategy. In this draft document we open the discussion on these strategy delivery issues by focussing on two specific factors, viz resources and funding, and skills.

Resources and Funding 5.6 As ICT becomes fully integrated into service planning and delivery, it is increasingly difficult to readily identify the costs of IT provision as a component of overall service provision. From figures available it is though possible to extrapolate ‘order of magnitude’ costs, and for current IT provision in London public services this can be estimated as £500 million per annum

5.7 Because of the integrated nature of IT and service planning, continuing and future financial provision of ICT is therefore normally made as a component of wider spending programmes, particularly where the IT component supports a particular aspect of service delivery. Separate provision is often made, both in national spending programmes, and by individual service organisations, for core IT infrastructure and associated common services, and this has been estimated at 15% of the total ICT cost, and therefore for London is approximately £75 million per annum.

5.8 The recent focus on e-enabled service delivery, with the recognition that technology is now the key component in improving service access and quality, has resulted in the provision of additional, earmarked funding, from a number of Government sources. In particular, the Capital Modernisation Fund has made available £350m to support e-developments in local government, of which £25 million has already been allocated as “Pathfinder” projects, 6 of which are London-based. The basis for the next tranche of funding, which consists of £190 million in 2002, has not yet been determined by the Government, but it will be influenced by the recently submitted IEG statements.

It is essential that funding is provided at three levels:

• A capacity in each service agency to support a central e-championing role. • resources for further local pathfinder projects which are needed to fill specifically identified gaps in current or planned e-service and

36 e-infrastructure provision. • resources for London-wide e-provision, which will be delivered in partnership with individual organisations, or sub-regional groupings; and for ensuring the wide take-up of local innovation work.

During the period of consultation of this document, LondonConnects will therefore :

• publicise, through a regular bulletin, sources of e-funding available, together with details of criteria, bidding timescales and process. • assess whether there are advantages (of scale or timeframe) of carrying out. procurement on a London-wide basis for specific local/sub-regional projects. • present a case to Central Government for national funding of the key components of this draft strategy. • make the case for any additional funding which is necessary for London to deliver the e-agenda, so that this can be taken into account in the Government’s spending review for 2002 and subsequent years.

Skills 5.9 The e-Government agenda, with its aim of delivering high quality, joined- up, e-enabled public services, will be crucially dependent on the skills and understanding of those responsible for planning the transformation, those responsible for its delivery, and of those citizens who need to access services. There are real challenges to confront.

• How to ensure continued access to technical skills in a highly competitive market place, as technology and its application continues to move on apace, and as ICT is now playing a central role in transforming public services. • How to ensure organisations have access to high quality change and project management skills; and in the skills needed to handle complex partnership arrangements, and relationships with technology suppliers. • How to increase awareness of the potential of technology, and its impact on organisations. • How to build confidence in the use of IT by those citizens for whom it is not a common means of accessing services.

5.10 Most recent studies and surveys suggest that there is already a fundamental skills problem, and whilst skills development has always lagged behind the pace of technology development, it is now a far more crucial issue. A recent report (“Services at risk?”, produced jointly by SOCITM, SOLACE and SOCPO) provides a clear picture of the current position, and how individual organisations can ensure they are best placed to respond. Another report (at www.headstar.com/futurehealth) is finding that “the efficient deployment of new communications technologies across the NHS is being threatened by a failure to train staff in basic computer literacy”.

5.11 The Government’s own policy, which has the twin aims of making IT skills as available as possible to people of all ages, and of combating the potential digital divide, is being addressed through a number of initiatives:

• 600 UK based on-line centres are being set up to provide people with access to new technologies, and help develop the skills to use them. • By the end of 2002, all 4300 of the UK’s public libraries will be on-line,

37 funded by the National Lottery New Opportunities fund. • New initiatives are to be introduced in post offices to help people access and use the Internet, in addition to free ICT ‘taster’ courses being offered to the unemployed and 80% discounts for computer literacy training.

5.12 In London, the LDA is working to produce a ‘Framework for Regional Employment and Skills Action’, which will include a component on IT skills.

5.13 We will be using the consultation process for this draft strategy to seek as wide a range of views as possible on the further practical steps that can be taken in London to address the issue of e-skills. Subject to feedback received over the coming months a number of specific actions will be taken forward.

• To work with the LDA to consider the e-skills needs in London for incorporation in the Regional Skills Framework, and specifically to develop an e-literacy framework for staff in London’s public services, based on the European Computer Driving License (ECDL), with defined customisable course content, and capable of being delivered by local training providers though an accredited supplier scheme. • To work with the Improvement and Development Agency (IDeA) to customise the IDeA’s “e-Governance - Implication for Members” programme so that it relates specifically to London’s public services, and so that it can be regularly updated to reflect the changing e-scene ; and to consider whether a similar ‘e-Governance implications for Managers’ programme can be developed, again customised for London’s experiences. • To include in the planned annual review of London’s e-activity an assessment of the effectiveness of current IT management skills training, and to see whether there is potential for greater collaboration in the development and running of common training programmes in key IT-skills areas.

6: Summary of proposals

Strategic Aims

Objective: To provide a unified e-face for London’s public services

London portal • To develop a London portal, providing an entry-point for London’s public services, and to act as a stimulus for collaborative, multi-agency, working. • To develop a business case and demonstrator to support a bid for Government funding, which would then enable the portal to be public sector led, with delivery and support provided by the private sector. • To consider, with Central Government, whether the ukonline.gov.uk service and its associated Gateway could be customised in such a way that it could be used as the basis for Londononline.gov.uk • To discuss with the LDA and London First whether Londonline.gov.uk could host any further web-based services for those seeking to set up and do business in the City. • To discuss with the London Tourist Board, and other agencies, whether Londononline.gov.uk could host any further web-based services for those visiting London. • To discuss with the voluntary sector whether Londononline.gov.uk could

38 host web-based services for those seeking access to voluntary services across the city. • To consider how to provide gateways from local community web-sites to Borough web-sites and London-wide portals. • To put in place a management framework for development of the portal which ensures a tight linkage with those involved in London ‘Pathfinder’ portal work, including the APLAWS, EXSEL, LEAP and Kingston Single Public Access projects (as summarised in Appendix 1); those responsible for other London wide service portals; and with the LondonConnects partner organisations.

Smart-Cards • To work with the London Borough of Newham, TfL, and Southwark Police to maintain a wide awareness of the early stages of these and other smart- card projects in the city; and to monitor progress elsewhere in the UK of developing smart-card applications. • To explore the implications of developing a ‘London-wide Smart-card’, considering the range of applications and uses which are possible, the probable timescales for their development and roll-out, and the potential sources of funding.

Public Services Network for London: • To explore the possibility of partnering with the London Grid for Learning network (LGfL) to provide a London Public Services Network. This would have the known advantages of a private network, including predictable and controllable costs for usage and additional capacity; would provide levels of security and authentication commensurate with the hosted applications; and would ensure guaranteed levels of service and throughput. We will assess the extent to which this approach would represent a more cost-effective approach than one which is more piece-meal. • To undertake research into the type and nature of suitable applications which could potentially benefit from broadband provision, and seek to develop a market for their mass production.

Objective: To promote, encourage and support collaborative working

• To develop a programme, overseen by the LondonConnects Steering Group, based on opportunities for inter-sector partnership working around e- government. This will be further explored and defined in a series of meetings with LondonConnects partner organisations during the period set aside for consultation on this draft strategy. These meetings will specifically consider: • The benefits of using the proposed London Public Services Network in supporting the necessary information flows between organisations • Shared approaches and standards for security and encryption • Mapping existing joint work, and identifying new areas for collaborative working • Shared approaches to common e-training needs • To support and promote the establishment of ‘shareware’ clubs, building on the approach developed by LB of Newham for its customer relationship system, which will facilitate the bringing together of all those bodies and agencies with an interest in a single e-Government project.

39 • To support key inter-sector groups to co-ordinate and promote inter-working between sectors at both a London-wide and sub-regional level.

• To review the existing strategic e-projects in London (including Pathfinders and ISB-funded work), in order to define the practical steps necessary to ensure their wider take-up in London, and to identify the tangible products that are capable of export to the wider London public sector.

• To review the existing e-Government strategies of the LondonConnects partner organisations to assess the potential for further collaborative working, and thereby further central Government funding.

• To carry out a study into local community web-sites in London, and work with ‘Communities Online’ to run a London-wide seminar in order to explore the potential for spreading good practice, and opening up funding opportunities to support local communities in their e-endeavours.

• To develop a LondonConnects web-site to provide information in support of those engaged in the planning, management and delivery of e-Government in London. Work is now underway to specify initial content, and it is intended that the site will be fully operational by 1st April 2002. It will initially contain: • A project register giving summary details and hyperlinks for all key strategic projects, including Pathfinders, Invest to Save, and other Government and EC funded initiatives; together with links to relevant research work or key policy issues. • A contacts register of all those engaged in London’s e-Government, and hyperlinks to all useful web-sites. • Details of e-funding sources, both UK and EC based. • Access to the papers from the cross-sector/sub-regional groups that are considered elsewhere in this document, and to the business/IT strategies of partner organisations • Discussion forums to enable the capture of a wide range of views on key e-policy components (e.g. Smart-cards, e-democracy, social inclusion) • An e-index, providing links to relevant web sites, including: — Government legislation, policies, standards and infrastructure — Appropriate surveys and research — National E-Government services • To develop, with oversight from the LondonConnects Steering Group, an annual review of e-activity in London which will help inform future strategic direction and detailed work programmes; be available on the London Connects web-site ; and provide the basis for an annual London e- Government Conference, which it is planned to hold in May/June of each year.

Objective: To ensure the benefits of technology are available to all

Digital divide • To take part in a major study being developed by the Greater London Authority and the London Development Agency, to accurately map the digital divide in London, and build a better information base about the impacts of technology access on ordinary peoples’ lives.

• To encourage all London Boroughs to collect information about the digital divide, and work to ensure that such information is collected in a standard and easily shared form

Objective: To use new technology to encourage public participation in democratic processes

E-democracy • To bring together the lessons being learnt from the many experiments that are taking place; to develop criteria to identify successful e-democracy projects; and to develop an information base of specific products and applications that are available and work. This work will identify gaps in practice which future projects could seek to address in a more co-ordinated manner. • To convene a policy workshop on e-democracy during the consultation period,and to make e-democracy the key theme for the June 2002 London e-Government conference.

Strategy Delivery Mechanisms

Relating to resources and funding • To publicise, through a regular bulletin, sources of e-funding available , together with details of criteria, bidding timescales and process.

• To assess whether there are advantages of scale or timeframe of carrying out procurement on a Londonwide basis for specific local/sub-regional projects.

• To present a case to Central Government for national funding of the key components of this draft strategy.

• To make the case for any additional funding which is necessary for London to deliver the e-agenda, so that this can be taken into account in the Government’s spending review for 2002 and subsequent years.

Relating to skills • To work with the LDA to consider the e-skills needs in London, for incorporation in the ‘Framework for Regional Employment and Skills Action’, and specifically to develop an e-literacy framework for staff in London’s public services, based on the European Computer Driving License (ECDL), with defined customisable course content, and capable of being delivered by local training providers though an accredited supplier scheme.

• To work with the Improvement and Development Agency (IDeA) to customise the IDeA’s ‘e-Governance – Implication for Members’ programme so that it relates specifically to London’s public services, and associated e-activity; and so that it can be regularly updated to reflect the changing e-scene; and to consider whether a similar ‘e-Governance implications for Managers’ programme can be developed, again customised for London’s experiences.

• To include in the planned annual review of London’s e-activity an assessment

41 of the effectiveness of current IT management skills training, and see whether there is potential for greater collaboration in the development and running of common training programmes in key IT-skills areas.

We would like to hear from all stakeholders in the public, private and voluntary sectors on this document and its proposals.We would also welcome responses to the questions set out following, and comments on any aspect of this draft strategy, particularly where you feel that there is a London-wide role in delivering the e-Government agenda that we either have not proposed, or that we have not adequately developed.

Does your organisation believe it will meet, in full, the Government’s target of having all services e-enabled by 2005?

What barriers do you perceive exist that prevent collaborative working on e-Government projects?

What more could Central Government Departments do that would assist with the implementation of your own organisation’s e-Government strategy and plans?

What could LondonConnects do, that is not being proposed in this draft strategy, that would assist with the implementation of your own organisation’s e-Government strategy and plans?

Does your own organisation have effective arrangements in place to facilitate multi- agency working on e-Government projects?

Does your organisation have e-Government systems, services, or skills which could be made more widely available to London’s public sector?

Do you anticipate significant organisational changes to the management of service delivery and associated support functions as a result of e-enabling all services?

Do you feel sufficiently well informed about e-Government policies, services and applications? If not, what would you like to be more aware of?

Would changes to existing legislative and regulatory regimes be helpful to your organisation in delivering its e-Government agenda?

What new e-Government applications would you like to see provided nationally, regionally (i.e. London-wide), or in local partnerships?

What steps is your organisation taking to provide technology support to those who may feel less confident about its use than others?

Are the key decision-makers, and senior managers, in your organisation sufficiently aware of the strategic implications of implementing e-Government?

42 7: Conclusion

7.1 This draft document is a first attempt at setting a strategic e-agenda for London. The challenges are great, particularly with so many different agencies and service organisations involved in delivery. However, we can be encouraged on two counts.

7.2 Firstly, the agencies involved in the provision of public services have fully recognised the need for partnership working by establishing LondonConnects as London’s e-Government Agency. For the first time we will have the mechanisms to collectively take a strategic view of e-London. Certainly, as well as the expectation of excellent public services, citizens have every right to expect services to be delivered in ways that are convenient to them. As service users none of us are great respectors of organisational and geographic boundaries. We all want access at times that suit us; at locations that suit us, whether at home, at work, or on the move; and in ways that suit us, whether by telephone, face-to-face, or electronically. Through the commitment to collaborative working we now have the means to respond.

7.3 Secondly, technology is now able to support the transformation of our public services in a way not previously possible. For a long time we have applied technology to suit our internal ways of working, and until very recently we have not seen it as a major contributor to our customer and service strategies. This is now changing and we can confidently use technology to re-engineer our internal back-office functions, freeing up resources to support front-line service delivery. We can use the technology to widen access to services, and we can anticipate a proliferation of technology channels, and a take-up driven by consumer need and preferences.

7.4 In the response set out in Chapter 3 of this document we are setting down four key objectives

7.5 Delivering on these objectives, and implementing the programme we are proposing, is ultimately the key challenge. Nevertheless already across London there are significant projects being undertaken which are on a par with the best in the world in their fields, and underpinning this strategy is an approach which builds on this pioneering work, exploiting the potential it offers, and creating a more coordinated overall approach so that those who are further behind can catch up, and re-use existing knowledge, ICT infrastructure and applications.

7.6 It has often been said that ‘we can’t afford to invest in technology, but we can’t afford not to’. Certainly this is never truer than now. Government expectations are that most of the necessary investment to deliver on the Government’s own targets will continue to come from existing investment plans and the redeployment of resources. But these budgets are already hard-pressed, and the immediate pressures on our public services mean that it is often difficult to identify and secure the necessary up-front investment in ICT to deliver benefits down-track.

7.7 We have no doubt that benefits will flow, both in terms of service quality and access, and in the reduced cost of back-office processes, but the real transformation and inclusive access we are seeking will clearly need some further injection of central funding. Existing Government spending plans will go some of the way, but their allocation needs to be more focussed. We need to ensure that we are resourcing and

43 encouraging the shared development of those back-office systems that crucially support front-line service delivery.

7.8 However, success will be about more than technology and money. All those of us engaged in service policy and delivery will be tested and challenged. We will have to deliver on major change projects, at a time when high-level project management skills are at a premium. We will need to properly recognise and reward partnership working, both within and beyond our organisations. We will have to support changes in jobs and the way we work, and recognise that there will be fewer jobs in some areas. Those using public services will also need to be supported in acquiring e-skills which, as well as enhancing peoples’ ability to access and use public services, will also open up new opportunities for employment.

7.9 The next five years is a crucial period. We have a real opportunity in the public sector to embrace technology and make a difference to our organisations and the way we deliver services. And technology holds out the hope of improving the relationship between the citizen and government; real empowerment, a real sense of involvement.

7.10 In producing this document we are very conscious that there can be no e-Government master-plan, no fixed blue print. People will use technology in ways they see fit, and the technology itself will open up new opportunities for improved service that simply cannot be foreseen.

7.11 This strategy though is a start. We hope that this initial draft document will help stimulate a debate, not just in the public and voluntary sectors, but also in the private sector. We all have a stake in ensuring the excellence of our public services, and we stand a greater chance of achieving this if we have a shared understanding of our different agendas. We have much that is already excellent in London; our challenge now is in working together to spread this excellence to all parts of our city.

We welcome comments on any aspect of this draft document, including the specific proposals and issues we have set out in Chapter 6.

The closing date for responses is 28 February 2002 Reponses should be sent to: Chief Executive LondonConnects (Room 606) Strategy Consultation Hampton House Albert Embankment LONDON SE1 7SD or emailed to [email protected] or via the LondonConnects website www.londonconnects.org.uk

Appendix 1: Strategic e-initiatives in London

The information in this Appendix, which is by no means definitive, summarises some of the innovative work currently underway across London.

1 E-delivery to socially excluded groups - LB Sutton The project aims to test and evaluate the cost-effectiveness of the application of innovative methods of electronic assistance, to enable hitherto excluded groups of people with learning disabilities gain access to training and employment opportunities.

Kiran Dattini-Pitt [email protected]

2 Single Public Access - Kingston Council A single access point to public services for a residential population of 555,000 and community interests in four Boroughs in South West London. The Boroughs, with central government, voluntary bodies and recognised IT partners will create an extranet, accessible through a single portal. It will provide information and service access for a wide range of public services, over the Internet, assistance via local premises and via cable TV. The Government Secure Intranet will be utilised to break down demarcation between local and central government services.

Tony Newbolt [email protected]

3 Work/training for the district - Surrey This submission is from a consortium of organisations involved with for training and employment services for people with disabilities. The project involves an analysis of the quality and cost advantages of externalising social enterprises currently being operated by public authorities to provide work and training for disabled and disadvantaged people.

Paul Leyland [email protected]

4 Electronic re-licensing - DETR 2 pilots have tested the feasibility of allowing drivers to apply for vehicle tax discs by electronic means. Under the first, drivers make applications through a call center. The second pilot has enabled drivers to make an application via the Internet & make payments by credit card.

Jim Milner [email protected]

5 Barnet Web portal for local community access - LB Barnet The creation of a community portal – a single gateway (or front door) to public, private and voluntary sector services. A further option is also put forward for consideration –

45 to add a comprehensive e-democracy platform, allowing consultation and a unique interactive online word-specific consultation package. A key feature of our approach is the concern to explore the potential benefits of the rapidly emerging digital television technology by sampling its use among disadvantaged groups.

Kevin Wilson [email protected]

6 Safety .net - LB Croydon To provide project management to undertake a feasibility study, produce a development plan, and work with the wide range of providers to implement new arrangements to integrate the current separate out-of-hours services for health and social care in Croydon. To utilise new technology to allow solutions not previously possible to join up fragmented and isolated services by using a call center with health assessment software and secure links to download information to appropriate professionals operating out- of-hours

Stephen Allen [email protected]

7 Integrated Health & Social care - LB Harrow Integrating health partners information systems. And offering socially excluded groups information & advice on benefits, health & social care.

Colin Oakley [email protected]

8 Engage young people in services - Met Police A “smart card” reward scheme where young people collect points for good school attendance and positive behaviors. Promoted by a vibrant and innovative sport, arts and web café concept, points gained are exchanged for rewards through a range of leisure, arts and sports partners. The reward card scheme is linked to an interactive web site, which provides information on the full range of youth provision in Southwark. The rewards available will draw heavily on private sponsorship and donation.

Project 244 Executive Summary.pdf Chief Insp.Russell Denton [email protected]

9 Life events access project - LB Lewisham Life Events Access Project (LEAP): use of key services and key life events for use by partners and others in designing customer focussed service delivery through a variety of media, including call centres, one stop shops, kiosks and video conferencing. www.leap.gov.uk

Alan Davies [email protected]

10 On-line drug & alcohol service - LB Harrow

46 An innovative CIT on-line information and advice service to the local community of Brent and linking the agencies who provide the services and referrals. It particularly focuses on those who are socially excluded due to alcohol and drug use/misuse and related activities i.e. crime. The project encompasses the objectives of the e-government agenda.

Colin Oakley [email protected]

11 The E-Shop Project - LB Brent The E-shop Pathfinder project is designed to assist the wider introduction of effective electronically enabled customer services in Local Government by:

• Developing a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system suited to the particular needs of local government and capable of rapid and low-cost implementation in other boroughs. • Re-developing Brent’s Community Information system (BRAIN) and making it available to other local authorities. • Developing intelligent online forms for council services. • Developing a technical demonstrator of an IP based Contact Center.

• Making available to all local authorities the lessons learned from the project together with the experience gained from Brent’s successful One Stop Shops and Contact Centre.

There are full details about the project on the Council’s website at www.brent.gov.uk/pathfinder.

12 Prestige (smart card) - Transport for London The PRESTIGE project aims to provide benefits to both passengers and transport operators, which in the case of bus travel in London covers all the independent operators running services under contract to Transport for London. The ticket selling service must be quick, convenient and easily accessible, so that potential users are attracted as readily as existing passengers and the demand for and use of public transport facilities is maximised. As far as Transport for London and London Underground are concerned, the objectives of PRESTIGE are to improve information about passengers and their travel patterns; to reduce opportunities for fraud; and to offer greater flexibility for adapting or introducing fares and ticketing policies (for example, in differential charging at different times of the day). In addition, new ticket products such as Stored Value Ticketing (SVT) will provide a convenient alternative for passengers currently paying cash, although this facility will continue to be available.

13 Project LION Project LION aims to tackle and reduce the demand on services that crime and disorder causes. This means new processes to support joined-up working. A website will hold information that partner agencies can use to develop solutions to problems. Project LION is about providing better services to meet needs of people living or working in a borough. By enabling services to work together we can all get the most from our resources and avoid duplication and misunderstanding.

14 Community portal - LB Barking Dagenham

47 Responsibility for the Council’s entire public web presence was recently acquired by the Department and a new integrated community website was launched in early August 2001. Development is now underway to make the new site a Community Portal. Barking and Dagenham has been successful in bidding for funds to build a new UK Online Center at Marks Gate, creating a fully integrated community resource with a library and learning center linked to the existing community hall and other facilities. http://www.barking-dagenham.gov.uk/9-cias/ict-team/web-projects.html

15 People’s Network - LB Barnet A major boost for the Council’s new opportunities for all initiative, Barnet won the cash as part of the Government’s People’s Network Project. The People’s Network is a national initiative for all public libraries designed to make it easy for local people to access computers linked to the internet to support their own individual special information, training and learning needs. In Barnet, 200 computers will be installed in our libraries giving immediate Internet access as well as lifelong learning opportunities. http://www.barnet.gov.uk/barnet_life/kiosks.php3#book_space

16 Online Public Forums - LB Barnet You can read, download and comment on our published Green Papers (proposed local government legislation subject to public consultation and feedback). It is important that all interested parties respond to these proposals. You may use the online Consultation Form to make your comments. Alternatively, you may like to make your comment about our proposed legislation on our Online Public Forums.

You will also find details of our Online Public Consultation programmes http://www.barnet.gov.uk/local_democracy/index.php3

17 Cyber Link - LB Waltham Forest It is a unique project providing IT training and computer facilities to local people in the Leyton area. This initiative has been developed by a partnership between local residents, community groups and the Waltham Forest Social Inclusion Team. The project is funded through the European Objective 2 funding programme and has been open since October 1999. The training room has been equipped with computers linked to the Internet. http://www.lbwf.gov.uk/community/cyberlink_about.stm

18 Residents’ Forums - Westminster City Council We have six Environment network forums across the whole of Westminster. They are designed to give residents the opportunity to meet and influence the delivery of our services at a local level and contribute to Best Value, a new statutory duty placed on local authorities. http://www.westminster.gov.uk/atoz/resforum.cfm

19 Community services on the internet - Kingston Council Kingston Community Care Services now has a comprehensive guide to their services

48 on the Internet. The site provides an easy-to-access guide to the range of social services currently available to adults living in the Royal Borough that can help them to live independently in their own home. www.kingston.gov.uk/social

20 e-merton - LB Merton Merton has been examining ways to make access to services easier for all its customers. It has also been looking at improving links with its suppliers, agencies, central government and other organisations it has to work with. The aim is to build services around the needs of the customers, with improved responsiveness and quality. In order to achieve this goal, Merton will make full use of information technology (IT) to deliver services seamlessly and at times to suit the needs of the citizen. Within the next four years customers will be able to access services through the Internet, digital televisions, and mobile phones, as well as walk-in and telephone customer contact centres. This project will be called ‘e-merton’, and will run from now to 2005. The e-Merton project is designed to provide access to services electronically, and will help Merton meet the Government’s target of having all services available electronically by 2005. http://www.merton.gov.uk/future/ieg.asp

21 APLAWS (Accessible and Personalised Local Authority Websites) - LB Camden APLAWS will offer a “tailored service” allowing users to see at a glance the appropriate facilities available to them. Services will be provided by their local authority as well as government agencies and community groups. Age Concern, the Royal National Institute for the Blind plus other voluntary groups from each local authority area will be involved in the development of the project to ensure it will be accessible to everyone in the community. http://www.harrow.gov.uk/noticeboard/news.asp

22 Web-based services for Local Authority functions – LB Waltham Forest The project will deliver a proven, transportable and transactional local authority website that can be either implemented in its entirety or just selective modules. It will also be easily tailored and badged to meet local requirements.

A mentoring implementation programme will be developed which will be capable of being used in future years by other councils in a cascade approach. http:// www.tameside.gov.uk/pathfinder

23 ExSEL – LB Bromley Social Services, Health, Housing and Benefits are critical services, especially for the most disadvantaged in the community. This pathfinder project will link front and back office processes across multiple agencies to enable higher performance and improve quality of customer service. The project will build on the e-government strategy already being delivered by the London Borough of Bromley (LINKS). It will focus on specific issues where direct customer service and efficiency benefits can be realised by March 2002, and where

49 these can be sustained and built upon for the future. It will analyse the customer service/business processes that cross organisational and geographic boundaries of the partner organisations and will deliver specific models, components, systems and services to enable replication across London and beyond.

24 E-Payment and E-procurement and an interface into back office accounting systems – LB Newham The project’s goal is to develop a model for e-procurement that e-enables purchasing and supplying for organisations. Newham will develop an e-procurement capability - that is, the ability to buy goods and services electronically, either on the Web or via an Intranet. This capability includes on-line catalogues, ordering and payments systems and interfaces into back office systems. The project will bring together a group of London Boroughs. Each organisation is unique so the project will include reviews of each participating body. This will include the specialist Purchasing, Finance and IT staff, plus an assessment of back office systems. Partnerships will be developed so as to include large corporate (London wide) suppliers, but also local community and business involvement.

Website: www.epilon.org.uk

25 Building on Success - Mapping the Future – LB Wandsworth The Wandsworth Pathfinder project will improve access to planning and building control information and enable the submission of applications on-line. This project will allow users to pinpoint the information they are interested in, with links to applications and the development plan. Citizens and businesses will also be able to define their areas of interest, determining when they are consulted on applications. The project will provide a methodology and infrastructure to expand to other services. This will enable the Council to profile residents and businesses, and thus proactively target the information it can automatically provide. http:// www.wandsworth.gov.uk/pathfinder

50 Appendix 2: LondonConnects

The Aims and Objectives of the LondonConnects Initiative are based on the following premises:

• that cities are essential to the process of building a fair Information Society because they are the geographical, political, socio-economic and cultural entities where millions live, work and directly exercise their rights as citizens and consumers;

• that the effective development and deployment of Information Society Technologies in our diverse communities has the potential to improve:

• the quality of life and work of individuals. • employment opportunities. • the quality, seamlessness, and cost-effectiveness of processes and services. • the practice of government and democracy at all levels. • the prospects of the social economy and sustainable development.

• that there is the need for conscious steps to improve social inclusion and help avoid the division between information-rich and information-poor citizens and communities. • that the convergence and gradual globalisation of information society technologies and services need new forms of governance and co-operation; • that the early phases of development of the Information Society imply a learning process in which the sharing of experiences, results and lessons between organisations will be most beneficial. • that there needs to be co-operation across London and across sectors to build network infrastructure and develop applications required to deliver the promise of electronic government. • that it is vital for the UK economy as a whole and the future prosperity of all our people that London maintains its position as a leading global centre for high technology and new economy businesses. • that the LondonConnects initiative provides an innovative mechanism for an informed interaction between a broad range of organisations in London, including government and the public sector.

On this basis we have asked interested parties in London to sign an Agreement to Co-operate which embraces the following aims and objectives:

• help to reduce the gap between information-rich and information-poor and enable the delivery of electronic government by addressing the key issues of joined up service delivery, providing the infrastructures, maximising employment, and improving governance. • ensure the application of Information Society Technologies in London with a view to improving the quality of life and work potential of individuals, the quality and cost-effectiveness of processes and services, and the effective progress towards sustainable development and electronic government. • nurture trust and confidence in the development of the Information Society, respecting the laws, traditions, languages and culture of London’s diverse communities; while nurturing democratic participation, freedom of speech

51 and privacy in the practice of electronic government. • tackle the low levels of technological awareness, poor public access and shortage of skilled people that can represent a major obstacle to an equal- opportunity Information Society. • encourage the sharing of experiences, results and lessons among key actors in London and other cities and regions both at home and globally, in order to facilitate a local and global process of information-society learning and development. • define and implement a programme of action that will help turn London into an exciting, wealthy and thriving e-region and e-capital city.

LondonConnects Board: Founder Directors

Valerie Shawcross E-Envoy for London Greater London Authority, Romney House, Marsham Street, London SW1P 3PY

Anthony Mayer Chief Executive Greater London Authority, Romney House, Marsham Street, London SW1P 3PY

Cllr Dave Sullivan E-Champion for ALG Association of London Government, 591/2 Southwark Street, London SE1 OAL

Martin Pilgrim Chief Executive Association of London Government, 591/2 Southwark Street, London SE1 0AL

LondonConnects Steering Group: Members

Mike Barkway Chief Executive LondonConnects, Hampton House, 20 Albert Embankment, London SE1 7SD

Antoinette Moussalli Project Manager LondonConnects, Hampton House, 20 Albert Embankment, London SE1 7SD

Bernard Diamant Director of Corporate Services LB Brent, Brent Town Hall, Forty Lane, Wembley, Middx HA9 9EZ

Steve Palmer Head of IT LB Hillingdon, London Borough of Hillingdon, Civic Center, Uxbridge UB8 1UW

Andrew Staplehurst Co-ordination Briefing and Intelligence unit

52 Government Office for London, Riverwalk House,157-161 Millbank, London SW1P4RR

Tony Teehan Assistant director E-envoy’s office, Stockley House, 130 Wilton Road, London SW1V 1LQ

Richard Steel Head of ICT LB Newham, Direct House, Bridge Road Depot, Abbey Road, Stratford E15 3LX

Steve Pennant Deputy Head of ICT LB Newham, Direct House, Bridge Road Depot, Abbey Road, Stratford E15 3LX

Alex Bax Strategy Co-ordinator Greater London Authority, Romney House, Marsham Street, London SW1P 3PY

Andrew Stephens Head of Camden Connects LB Camden, Town Hall, Judd Street, London WC1H 9JE

Martin Pilgrim Chief Executive Association of London Government, 59 1/2 Southwark Street, London SE1 0AL

Janice Morphet Local Govt Modernising team Department of Transport, Local government and the Regions (DTLR), 4/E8, Eland House, Bressenden Place, London SW1 E5DU

Chris Haynes Local Govt Modernising team Department of Transport, Local government and the Regions (DTLR), 4/E8, Eland House, Bressenden Place, London SW1 E5DU

William Barker I.T department E-envoy, 6th floor, Stockley House, 130 Wilton Road, London SW1V 1LQ

Robin Morphet Assistant Director for information NHS, London Regional office, Dept of Health, 40 Eastbourne terrace, London W2 3QR

Mark Lenihan Information Service Co ordinator London Voluntary Service Council, 356 Holloway Road, London N7 6PA

David Wyatt Head of Communication London Fire & Emergency Planning Authority,

53 Room 502, Hampton House, 20 Albert Embankment, London SE1 7SD

David Murray Director London Libraries Development Agency, Stratford Old Town Hall, 29 The Broadway, London E15 4BQ

Royston Barker Metropolitan Police, Jubilee House, 230 Putney Bridge Road, Putney, London SW15 2PD

David Haynes Business Development co-ordinator Metropolitan Police, Jubilee House, 230 Putney Bridge Road, Putney, London SW15 2PD

Allan King Directorate of information Metropolitan Police, Jubilee House, 230 Putney Bridge Road, Putney, London SW15 2PD

Brian Durrant Chief Executive London Grid for Learning Trust, Beverley Centre, Blakes Lane, New Malden KT3 6NU

54 Appendix 3: Stakeholder Organisations

The nature of technology, and its penetration across all sectors, mean that there are a large number of bodies involved nationally, regionally and locally in policy consideration, standards setting, innovation, best practice promulgation and funding. This document cannot hope to include a definitive list, but we have summarised below those bodies and organisations which have a key London-wide role to play in the development of this strategy, and in the delivery of the e-Government agenda in London. The process of consultation and engagement will enable us to more precisely define roles and relationships, which will be included in the final ‘e-Government Strategy for London’ document.

National

E-envoys office (www.e-envoy.gov.uk) The e-Government Group in the e-envoy’s office leads the work on the Government’s commitment that by 2005 100% of dealings with the Government should be available electronically. The Group’s work covers three main streams • Getting Government on-line. • International comparisons. • Policies, standards, and guidelines (incl smart-cards and e-signatures strategy).

DTLR modernisation team (www.local-regions.dtlr.gov.uk) The work of the team includes all aspects of electronic service delivery in Local Authorities including Local Government On-line funding and the Pathfinder initiatives. It also provides the Info4local portal, which enables Local Authorities to get quick and easy access to local government related information published by Central Departments and agencies.

Idea The idea plays a key role in helping to carry forward the e-revolution across central and local government and the wider public sector. Through its membership of the Central Local Liaison Group, the agency works closely with the Office of the E-Envoy, DTLR, LGA, SOLACE and SOCITM on issues such as:

• The national e-government strategy and its framework policies and standards. UK on-line Citizen Portal and the Government Gateway. • E-Government Interoperability Framework(e-GIF). • Local Government On-Line, the Pathfinder programme and the planned national local government strategy. • The targets and Best Value indicator on electronic service delivery (ESD). • Promoting Electronic Government – ESD benchmarking project. • National Infrastructure projects, including NLIS, NPLG, Electoral Register.

Office of Public Services Reform The recently established Office of Public Services Reform, located in the Cabinet office, is tasked with advising the Prime Minister on ways to enhance the competitive and capacity of the public services, including the Civil Service and Local Government, to deliver the Government’s programme of reform.

The office is currently working in three key areas:

55 • front line services and whether current structures are fit for purpose, and have the right incentives and powers to deliver more responsive services. • to identify priorities for Civil Service reform. • to contribute to the Local Government white paper.

SOCITM (www.socitm.gov.uk) The national body representing IT management in the public sector, with some 1000 members representing 400+ organisations. It is concerned with input into national e- policy and equipping its members to support delivery of the e-agenda. The society provides a range of consulting, research and training services specifically targeted at e-Government.

London

Greater London Authority (GLA) The Greater London Authority is the new strategic government of London. It consists of the London Assembly and the Mayor, Ken Livingstone. The Mayor is not directly responsible for the delivery of day to day services to the people of London, his principle role is to devise policies and strategies for London. However, to varying degrees the Mayor is responsible for setting direction and budgets for four major service providing organisations in London: Transport for London, the London Development Agency, the Fire Authority and the Metropolitan Policy Authority. The Mayor will use his powers and influence to ensure that each of these organisations make best use of new technology and engages in partnership to deliver more integrated joined-up services. The Mayor will also use his influence to ensure that London’s public sector as a whole works together to improve the quality of public services, and to ensure that London maintains its position as one of the world’s leading e-cities. For these reasons the GLA, together with the Association of London Government, is a founding partner of LondonConnects.

Association of London Government (ALG) The ALG represents local government in London. Its members are the 32 London Boroughs, the City of London, Metropolitan Police Authority and the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority. The ALG provides policy guidance and direction, and promotes good practice. It is a founding partner of LondonConnects, through whom it will deliver its policy guidance and best practice in relation to e-Government.

London Development Agency The London Development Agency (LDA) is London ’s business-led economic development agency, working to the Greater London Authority to deliver the economic aspects of a programme for renewal. The LDA’s economic development strategy commits the Agency to partnership with LondonConnects. The LDA contributes specifically in economic development terms towards the Mayor’s role in leading and co-ordinating developments across a wide range of policy issues in London. Through the implementation of the LDA’s Economic Development Strategy the LDA will make a significant difference to many services in London beyond those that are the direct responsibility of the GLA. As part of the LDA’s commitment to developing the application skills for Londoner’s the agency will support a broad range of e-skills projects.

SOCITM (London) The London regional group of SOCITM undertakes a programme of meetings related to e-Government particularly encouraging cross-sector participation and working.

56 The group will work in partnership with LondonConnects in helping achieve effective delivery of the e-agenda.

LondonConnects (www.londonconnects.gov.uk) London’s regional e-agency, with responsibility for developing an e-Government strategy for London; supporting its implementation through the leadership of London- wide ICT infrastructure and services; and by the provision of information, research and best practice services.

Appendix 4: National Context

The publication, in 1996, of the ‘Government. Direct’ white paper, which was based on the notion of ‘life-episode’ interaction between e-Government and the citizen, was followed in March 1999 by the publication of the ‘Modernising Government’ White Paper, the current blueprint for electronic Government. This was followed by the Cabinet Office’s publication of its e-Government Strategy (E-Government; a strategic framework for public services – in the information age, April 2000). This strategy outlined four guiding principles :

• Building services around citizens’ choices. • Making government and its services more accessible. • Ensuring that new technology does not create a digital divide between those with ready access to electronic media, and those without; and • Using information more effectively.

Coupled with the publication of the strategy, the Government set a target of 100% electronic service delivery capacity by 2005, and the Spending Review 2000 identified £350m new money for this purpose.

In allocating this money Government stated that “Local Authorities have already identified significant resources to begin to transform their services”, and that the expectation was that “most of the investment needed to meet the 2005 target will continue to come from existing investment plans and the redeployment of resources”. A guidance note from DETR (now DTLR) noted the support being given by DofEE and CDMS, who were investing significant resources to support local authorities’ to develop electronic service delivery in lifelong learning”.

The £350m funding is to be spread over the three years of the settlement as follows: 2001/02 £25m 2002/03 £135m 2003/04 £190m

The first £25m has been allocated to ‘pathfinder’ projects, intended to deliver interactions in electronic forms which are capable of being rolled out as standard applications across local government, and to disseminate best practice.

Resource allocation decisions for 2002/03 and 2003/04 are currently under consideration by Government, based on the following principles:

• There should be opportunities for all authorities, not just those at the leading edge.

57 • Allocations to each Authority should be conditional on clear evidence of commitment to meet the 2005 target, by means which are compatible with national framework and standards. • There should be incentives for partnership working and joint investment by neighbouring councils, and by councils and other service providers. • Allocation methodology should be simple and cost-effective and commensurate with the sum to be allocated.

The trigger for the release of the funding is to be the ‘Implementing Electronic Government’ statements (IEG’s), which each local authority has been asked to submit, setting out their own plans for delivery of the targets. By the end of September 2001, 99% of authorities had produced and submitted their IEG’s, of which 6% (none in London) had been deemed as failing to meet the grade, with 13% needing further significant work. Feedback to authorities is via a series of regional workshops in October and November. This strategy document comments elsewhere (Chapter 5) on the most appropriate way for this national funding to be allocated in order to secure the maximum benefit for London.

During the past two years Government has also been developing a number of policy frameworks (which are fully set out at www.e-envoy .gov.uk/publications/frameworks_index.htm). These include:

• e-Government Interoperability Framework (e-GIF); standards and policies for achieving interoperability and seamless information flow across government as well as the wider public sector. The standards are mandatory for all new systems. • Security framework: BS7799 (formerly BST199) is mandated across Government Departments, and is recommended across the wider public sector as a framework for Information Security management. • Government Secure Intranet (GSI) • Ukonline (ukonline.gov.uk and Government Gateway) enables the citizen to deal with government on a one to one, trusted, basis; with the intention of presenting government as an integrated organisation.

In addition to Government policies, standards and infrastructure provision, other national infrastructure projects are being developed for local authorities by the Improvement and Development Agency (IDeA). These include:

• The National Land and Property Gazeteer (NLPG). • The National Land Use Information Service (NLIS). • The National Electoral Registers (ER) project. • The National Land Use database. • E-procurement.

Finally, the Government intends to produce a local e-government strategy for England, together with supplementary papers which will provide an update on developments, and describe the relevance to local government of national initiatives and standards, such as UK On line and the Local Government Secure Intranet. The papers will be complemented by a toolkit to help authorities meet the 2005 target. This draft strategy is proposing an annual survey of e-preparedness in London, which would include an assessment of the level of take-up of national initiatives.

58 Annex B

LondonConnects

Review of first year

This paper reviews the first year of LondonConnects, and considers future direction and activity. It has been produced to enable the GLA and ALG, as founding partners, to provide guidance to LondonConnects for the coming year and beyond; and to inform all those engaged in supporting the e- Government agenda in London of the contribution LondonConnects is making to its delivery.

Background and context

The growing emphasis on the use of technology to transform our organisations and the way public services are delivered, together with the need to ensure a London-wide and collaborative response to these challenges, led the ALG and the GLA to establish LondonConnects in 2001.

LondonConnects is now operating as a London-wide agency, bringing together local, regional and national government to provide an e-leadership role in the capital, and fostering collaborative work on e-government developments.

The founding members of LondonConnects are the GLA and the ALG, on behalf of the London Boroughs. Other partners are actively involved either as members of the LondonConnects Steering Group, or on the development of specific projects, at either a London-wide or sub-regional level. As well as individual service providing organisations, partners include other London-wide bodies, including the LDA, the LVSC, London Grid for Learning, and the London Libraries Development Agency.

Initial funding for LondonConnects was provided by the GLA and the London Boroughs. This has provided LondonConnects with the capacity to handle start-up ; develop an ambitious strategy for e-Government in London; take forward a wide-ranging programme of work ; and succeed with bids for further funding.

59 Central to this has been a significant grant in the current year from the Local Government On-line (LGOL) partnership programme, together with support from the Corporation of London, providing bridging finance to cover delays in the grant payment. Continued funding from the LGOL programme is key to the work of LondonConnects over the coming year, during which time other funding sources will be identified as part of the funding strategy for individual projects.

The overall management arrangements for LondonConnects are now well established. The LondonConnnects Board provides overall strategic direction and political input ; the Steering Group, with wide representation from all LondonConnects partner organisations, advises on and monitors the work programme ; and Executive Groups for specific projects ensure tight programme management, and the necessary engagement of key stakeholders. Membership of the Board and Steering Group are detailed in Annex 1 to this paper.

An e-Government Strategy for London

As a first step in building a consensus on what needs to happen to deliver the ambitious aims set for LondonConnects, a draft e-Government Strategy for London was produced at an early stage. This has stimulated a great deal of debate, and much support for the direction of the strategy has been expressed.

This has provided a sound basis for the LondonConnects year one work programme, which has been developed to support four key objectives.

• To provide a unified e-face for access to London’s public services • To promote and support collaborative working • To ensure the benefits of technology are available to all • To use technology to encourage public participation in democratic processes

The practical programme of work and research which was originally included in the strategy document is set out in Annex 2 to this paper. Much of this activity is now underway, and Annex 3 to this paper provides a summary of the first year activity that has been undertaken.

Looking Ahead

The first year of LondonConnects has been concerned with capacity building, with strategy development , and with laying the foundations for delivery of an ambitious work programme. Much has been achieved, with formal and informal feedback suggesting that the agency can perform a valuable role in supporting implementation of the e-government agenda, although expectations will need to be managed in line with the capacity and resources available.

60 In terms of focus, the work throughout they year has been directed at three key areas.

• We have had to build an organisational capacity from scratch, and the start-up funding made available has enabled us to achieve most of what we set out to do. LondonConnects now has an effective administrative team and office base, which has been able to support the growing demands of the work programme. However, the nature of external funding, which is often in the form of capital grants, is in itself unlikely to provide sustainable funding for LondonConnects core capacity, and this remains an outstanding issue to be resolved.

• The second area of focus has been to take forward a programme of London-wide e-infrastructure projects, defined in the draft strategy as a London portal, a London-wide citizen access smart-card , and a public services network for the capital.

Good progress has been made with both the work on the London portal and the citizen smart-card. The business plan for the portal has mapped a way forward to deliver a citizen portal for London, providing both sign-posting to a wide range of public services, and direct access to aggregated London-wide services. The development of the portal will be closely coupled with the GLA’s own web-site, with the potential for eventual integration ; and will complement Borough’s own sites.

The work on the London smart-card is also proceeding apace. TfL and Transys(the commercial supplier) are very supportive of developing the transport card in the way we envisage , and there is a great deal of interest in Boroughs to participate in the planned pilots. The challenge ahead will be to now develop a funding strategy which will enable a London-wide scheme, and avoid the fragmentation, duplication and additional cost of a go-it-alone approach.

The work on a public service network for London has not made the same progress. The case for a coherent approach to networking in London is very evident. A piece-meal approach would certainly not provide consistency of security and authentication , itself a barrier to multi-agency working ; would not provide guaranteed levels of service and throughput; and would not represent the most cost-effective means of provision. Potential solutions without the need to start from scratch certainly exist, but there is as yet no compelling case for any one particular solution. Discussions over the coming weeks may unlock this; and at the time of writing this paper we wait to see whether the National e-Government Strategy will provide a network solution for Local Government generally.

• The third area of focus has been the fostering, promotion and support of partnership working. London is rich in e-innovation, often but not exclusively delivered through some form of local partnership working. There are many examples of effective e-partnerships delivering cost-effective solutions which are able to be customised to meet local needs and priorities. Feedback from civil servants has suggested though that London lags behind the rest of the country in partnership working, and whilst this may or may not be true, there is undoubtedly more that can, and should, be done.

The analysis of Implementing Electronic Government (IEG) statements now being undertaken will provide pointers to where further collaborative working could usefully be pursued. At the lowest level we could do more to share knowledge of local

61 initiatives, encouraging the wider take–up of those that are successful.. Beyond this we should be looking for more shared development, and when a coherent London-wide e- infrastructure is fully planned and being implemented, consideration of shared e-service provision. With stretched resources, continuing demands on front-line services, and a spend in excess of £0.5bn on public sector ICT in London, we clearly need to find a way of encouraging more collaborative working, whether this is on back-office developments, or on customer-facing services (portals, call-centres, and other access channels).

As a first practical step, we would like to see a greater commitment to the sub-regional e-partnerships across London. They can clearly provide an effective mechanism for delivering collaborative projects , but they feel under-exploited. This could in part be addressed by sharing partnership support resources between LondonConnects and the sub-regions, and we should like to explore how this could be achieved.

Toward the end of the year a formal review was carried out to consider the role and activities of LondonConnects. Much valuable feedback was received, with the majority of respondents supporting the general direction. There were pleas for a better knowledge base of work underway or planned; for a greater emphasis on development of the workforce, including the sharing of e-skills and e-skilled resources across London ; and for focussing on projects that deliver tangible benefits to the public. These, and other detailed comments, will be reflected in the LondonConnects work programme over the coming year.

Conclusions

Technology is now providing a real opportunity to shape and deliver high-quality public services that are responsive to local needs and priorities. The real challenge is of course to go beyond the Government target of having all services e-enabled by 2005, and ensure that we understand what the public want, that our organisations are focused on this , and that we have excellent ICT-enabled back-office systems in support.

Multi-agency working, and a collaborative approach, are critical. Problems do not come packaged in organisational boxes, nor do we have the luxury of resources which enable us to home-grow all our e-solutions. Shared knowledge, shared planning, shared product, shared e-services is a spectrum we all need to move along ; together with a commitment to partnership working , which will succeed if there is this top-level commitment, shared goals, and a capacity to deliver within the partnership.

Within LondonConnects we will strive to support this approach. There will always be more to be done than resources will permit, but working closely with the GLA, the ALG, the Boroughs, and London’s wider public and voluntary services, will provide a sum greater than the parts. We need a first –class e-infrastructure and services for London’s public sector, and London is well on the way to achieving this.

Mike Barkway Chief Executive, LondonConnects November 2002

Annex 1

LondonConnects : Governance arrangements

Board members

Valerie Shawcross GLA: Chair Anthony Mayer GLA Sir Robin Wales ALG Michael Frye LDA Martin Pilgrim ALG Loretta Jennings Corporation of London

Steering Group members

Bernard Diamant LB of Brent: Chair Jim Haslem LB of Bromley Roger Rickard LB of Barnet Simon Berlin LB of Lewisham Geoff Connell LB of Newham Harvinder Mankoo GOL Steve Palmer LB of Hillingdon Alex Bax GLA Richard Steel LB of Newham Steve Pennant LB of Newham Janice Morphet ODPM Chris Haynes ODPM Robin Morphet NHS Mark Lenihan LVSC David Wyatt LFEPA David Murray LLDA Anna Feuchtwang ALG Brian Durrant LGfL Alasdair Mangham LB of Camden Sally Holland LB of Havering Errol Trott LDA Tony Williams MPA David Haynes MPA Harvey Upton LB of Merton Alan Grundy UCL Gurmel Bansal LB of Merton Nigel Pommills OEE Mike Barkway LondonConnects Mark Brett LondonConnects Mick Davies LondonConnects Peter Woodward LondonConnects Stephen Elgar LondonConnects Nicola Myers LondonConnects: secretary Helen Booth LondonConnects

63 Annex 2

LondonConnects : Originally defined work programme (as set out in the draft e-Government strategy for London, December 2001)

Strategic Objective: To provide a unified e-face for London’s public services

London portal

• To develop a London portal, providing an entry-point for London’s public services, and to act as a stimulus for collaborative, multi-agency, working

• To develop a business case and demonstrator to support a bid for Government funding, which would then enable the portal to be public sector led, with delivery and support provided by the private sector. • To consider, with Central Government, whether the ukonline.gov.uk service and its associated Gateway could be customised in such a way that it could be used as the basis for Londononline.gov.uk • To discuss with the LDA and London First whether Londonline.gov.uk could host any further web-based services for those seeking to set up and do business in the City. • To discuss with the London Tourist Board, and other agencies, whether Londononline.gov.uk could host any further web-based services for those visiting London. • To discuss with the voluntary sector whether Londononline.gov.uk could host web-based services for those seeking access to voluntary services across the city • To consider how to provide gateways from local community web-sites to Borough web-sites and London-wide portals • To put in place a management framework for development of the portal which ensures a tight linkage with those involved in London ‘Pathfinder’ portal work, including the APLAWS,EXSEL, LEAP and Kingston Single Public Access projects (as summarised in Appendix 1); those responsible for other London wide service portals; and with the London Connects partner organisations.

Smart-cards

• To work with the London Borough of Newham, TfL, and Southwark Police to maintain a wide awareness of the early stages of these and other smart- card projects in the city ; and to monitor progress elsewhere in the UK of developing smart-card applications • To explore the implications of developing a ‘London-wide Smart-card’ , considering the range of applications and uses which are possible, the

64 probable timescales for their development and roll-out, and the potential sources of funding.

Public Services Network for London:

• To explore the possibility of partnering with the London Grid for Learning network (LGfL) to provide a London Public Services Network. This would have the known advantages of a private network, including predictable and controllable costs for usage and additional capacity ; would provide levels of security and authentication commensurate with the hosted applications ; and would ensure guaranteed levels of service and throughput. We will assess the extent to which this approach would represent a more cost- effective approach than one which is more piece-meal.

• To undertake research into the type and nature of suitable applications which could potentially benefit from broadband provision, and seek to develop a market for their mass production

Strategic Objective: To promote, encourage and support collaborative working

• To develop a programme, overseen by the LondonConnects Steering Group, • based on opportunities for inter-sector partnership working around e- government. This will be further explored and defined in a series of meetings with LondonConnects partner organisations during the period set aside for consultation on this draft strategy. These meetings will specifically consider:

• The benefits of using the proposed London Public Services Network in supporting the necessary information flows between organisations • Shared approaches and standards for security and encryption • Mapping existing joint work, and identifying new areas for collaborative working • Shared approaches to common e-training needs

• To support and promote the establishment of ‘shareware’ clubs, building on the approach developed by LB of Newham for its customer relationship system, which will facilitate the bringing together of all those bodies and agencies with an interest in a single e-Government project • To support key inter-sector groups to co-ordinate and promote inter- working between sectors at both a London-wide and sub-regional level. • To review the existing strategic e-projects in London (including Pathfinders and ISB-funded work),in order to define the practical steps necessary to ensure their wider take-up in London, and to identify the

65 tangible products that are capable of export to the wider London public sector. • To review the existing e-Government strategies of the LondonConnects partner organisations to assess the potential for further collaborative working, and thereby further central Government funding • To carry out a study into local community web-sites in London, and work with ‘Communities Online’ to run a London-wide seminar in order to explore the potential for spreading good practice, and opening up funding opportunities to support local communities in their e-endeavours. • To develop a London Connects web-site to provide information in support of those engaged in the planning , management and delivery of e- Government in London. Work is now underway to specify initial content, and it is intended that the site will be fully operational by 1st April 2002. • To develop, with oversight from the London Connects Steering Group, an annual review of e-activity in London which will help inform future strategic direction and detailed work programmes ; be available on the London Connects web-site ; and provide the basis for an annual London e- Government Conference, which it is planned to hold in May/June of each year.

Strategic Objective : To ensure the benefits of technology are available to all

Digital divide

• To take part in a major study being developed by the Greater London Authority and the London Development Agency, to accurately map the digital divide in London, and build a better information base about the impacts of technology access on ordinary peoples’ lives. • To encourage all London Boroughs to collect information about the digital divide, and work to ensure that such information is collected in a standard and easily shared form

Strategic Objective : To use new technology to encourage public participation in democratic processes

E-democracy

• To bring together the lessons being learnt from the many experiments that are taking place; to develop criteria to identify successful e-democracy projects; and to develop an information base of specific products and applications that are available and work. This work will identify gaps in practice which future projects could seek to address in a more co- ordinated manner.

66 • To convene a policy workshop on e-democracy during the consultation period, and to make e-democracy the key theme for the planned Spring 2002 e-Government conference.

67 Annex 3

LondonConnects : summary of first year activity (as at November 2002)

Established overall governance arrangements LondonConnects Board, Steering Group and Executive Groups for key projects in place. London-wide Web- Managers and Security Groups set up. Support given to sub-regional e-partnerships. Considerable interest from elsewhere in the UK on London’s approach to regional e- working; this responded to by articles, presentations, best practice sharing, and contribution to Socitm research report on Regional e-approaches.

Secured funding Grant-aid from London Boroughs and the GLA, totalling £250k, provided start-up funding, Successful bids for funding of £910k from LGOL Partnership Programme for 2002/03 ; and for Social Services/NHS information exchange project from NHS Demonstrator Programme . Current bids for funding include LGOL Partnership 2003/04 (awaiting bid details from ODPM); ISB funding of £450k for e-democracy project (recently short-listed); EC funding of £6m for London- wide citizen access smart-card (Expression of Interest submitted); and as partner in national smart-card project (£4m bid by a consortia of local authorities and other bodies). Revenue funding for sustainable core capacity has not yet been secured.

Set up core capacity Core capacity is provided by Chief Executive, Programme Manager, Web Manager, and Office Manager; and strategy consultants provide the lead client-side role for specific infrastructure and cross-agency project work. Other project work is commissioned from external consultancy organisations as and when required. LFEPA have provided office accommodation as part of their contribution to the work of LondonConnects.

Produced draft e-Government Strategy for London Draft strategy based on four key objectives produced. Included 28 specific proposals for action, on which the LondonConnects first year programme was based. Full details available on www.londonconnects.org.uk. This draft strategy will be revised in the light of the National e-Government Strategy (publication due late November 2002).

Ran first e-Government for London conference Successful conference run in July 2002 at The Brewery. Over 550 delegates attended, and participated in a wide- ranging programme of plenary and workshop sessions. Now led into a regular seminar/workshop topic-based programme considering e-policy/service issues (first topics have included security, information sharing and crime reduction, e-democracy, and content management).

Established LondonConnects web-site The LondonConnects web-site provides an information base for those involved in e-Government across the capital. A development programme for the site has recently been agreed, and is currently being implemented. This is supplemented by a monthly newsletter aimed at e-government practitioners, and an Executive Briefing bulletin. The first two issues of this bulletin (December 2002,January 2003) will carry a review of the National e-Government

68 Strategy (published 19th November), and a strategic commentary on London Borough ‘Implementing e-Government Statements’ , which were submitted to the ODPM at the end of October 2002.

Developed London portal for citizen access. Plans for a London citizen portal, providing e-access to services without an understanding of organisational boundaries and responsibilities, are now well advanced. An initial service has been up and running for three months, and has provided valuable feedback ; and a business case for a full service has recently been completed. This has considered need, benefits and services to be included, technical architecture, and funding. Discussions are now underway with key stakeholders to agree a way forward for the work, which will also consider all e- enabled access channels..

Developed proposals for a London-wide citizen smart-card Work is continuing apace on two aspects of the London citizen card project. A full Business Case for a London-wide smart-card is nearing completion, and this is considering policy, technical, and financial issues. The final document will be shared with all those who have expressed an interest in this work. At the same time, a ‘Quick-Wins’ programme for smart-card use has been developed. This has been seeking to identify a small number of low security applications to sit on the TfL “Oyster” card , by first quarter 2004. These include applications concerned with Libraries, Parking and Leisure and Culture; but other areas are being identified as the work progresses. LondonConnects is leading the national work on smart-card standards, and LB of Newham is taking a lead role in the development of the London programme.

Supported a range of partnership projects These include :

• Support to a GLA/LDA/LondonConnects research project (also with commercial sponsorship) to study the factors that influence the take-up and use of ICT by socially excluded groups; identify the tangible economic or social benefits arising from having access; and consider the interventions necessary to overcome the so-called ‘digital divide’.

• Support for an on-line information system being developed by the GLA and ALG that will notify relevant services of the placement or movement of statutorily homeless households living in temporary accommodation in London.

• Support for a programme of innovative projects related to the information strategies of the NHS and Social Services Departments. This includes leading the work, through a secondee to LondonConnects from the NHS, to enable ready connection between London Boroughs and the NHS, supporting information transfer, and co-ordinated service provision. Funding for this has been secured from the NHS Demonstrator Programme

• Support for a project to enable Social Services in London to understand the effect of current developments on information and system strategies, and how to handle the major NHS developments. This work is being carried out under the aegis of ADSS.

Developed a proposal for an e-democracy ‘tool-kit’. Proposals for an e- democracy ‘tool-kit’ have been developed , and have recently been short-listed for

69 Invest to Save funding from the Treasury. This will provide a range of facilities to enable London Boroughs , the GLA , and other public bodies to consult on-line with citizens on policy development and service planning. The initial phase will build on work already developed locally, providing generic facilities which can be readily customisable by individual organisations. Full details of the project can be found on www.londonconnects.org.uk

Contributed to national projects Concerned with Broadband, community portals, smart-cards (where LondonConnects leads the work on national standards), and Health/Social Care.

Commissioned work to help implement the FOI Act. Work is now being undertaken, in conjunction with three London Boroughs, to help with the implementation of the Freedom of Information Act, the full operation of which commences on 1st January 2005. A common glossary is being developed, together with procedures and systems to enable authorities to respond in a consistent way to requests for information disclosure under the Act.

Established a private sector ICT forum A first meeting of the LondonConnects private sector ICT forum is to be held in December, to ensure the commercial sector is well informed about e-Government plans and planned investment across London ; and to hear from the sector how we can, through procurement policy and practice, achieve greatest value for money from the £0.5bn spent annually by the public sector in London.

Established a Voluntary/Community Sector e-forum The forum is bringing together London-wide voluntary and community sector representative organisations to consider how best to provide support for the e-enablement of the sector. It is anticipated that this will result in a strategy document for the sector, which will then enable access to Government and other funding streams to support the implementation of specific proposals in the strategy.

Established a London-wide Security group The group is now making progress with community connection protocols, and with defining standards for information security in London ; and is looking at the possibility of rolling out the WARP (Warning, Advice, and Reporting Scheme) for London, in conjunction with the IDeA and the OEE.

Established a London-wide web managers group The group is planning to consider opportunities for joint working, and help ensure a coherent approach to public service web-site development.

Negotiated ‘bulk’ agreements for e-services These include access to grants and funding information via www.grantsonline.org.uk ; special discount and pricing on Data Protection Act training and legal advisory services from www.masons.com; and membership , on behalf of London, of the Telecities network. This provides access to research and practical case studies on the use of ICT to run and deliver city services across Europe. Other service offerings are currently being negotiated.

Supported work on ‘Open Source’ This is research work to consider ‘open source’ solutions as an alternative in some circumstances to expensive commercial

70 offerings. The initial work will identify successful case studies, and the criteria for the use of open source software.