Queen's Speech 2010
The proposed Bills in the Queens speech that would seem to have the most relevance for DC10plus members are set out below, however there is still little on the detail of these at this stage but we would welcome your thoughts on them.
“Decentralism and Localism Bill
Will give councils more powers over housing and planning decisions and begin a review of local government finance. Will apply to England and Wales but implications for Scotland cannot be ruled out because of the “wide scope” of the Bill.”
DC10plus comment – will this include improvements to planning around broadband infrastructure and new housing being broadband ready.
“Energy and Green Economy Bill
Will promote enhanced energy efficiency, including the roll-out of smart meters. Will promote low-carbon energy production. Most of the measures will apply to England, Wales and Scotland with some devolved elements, “depending on the final detail”.”
DC10plus comment – Will this consider the rolling out of NG broadband as part of the infrastructure required for smart meters and the ethical implications of this.
Public Bodies Bill
Will abolish a number of non-department government bodies and limit the powers of other quangos. Applies to England and Wales only. ”
DC10plus comment – what will be the impact of this on existing and proposed support from these bodies for inclusion, innovation, growth and business development. ?
“Welfare Reform Bill
Will create a single welfare-to-work programme and make benefit payments more conditional on willingness to accept work. Benefit changes will be UK-wide, but will need parallel legislation in Northern Ireland, where it is devolved.”
DC10plus comment – Will this proposal also ensure that those seeking work are given the right level of ICT skills and know how to use it to increase employment skills and access jobs ?
“Other measures will be implemented via secondary legislation, included in future draft bills or remain commitments at this stage.
Increased investment in high-speed broadband (secondary legislation)”
Dc10plus comment – we welcome this but need more details.
Extending the right to flexible working to all employees in the future (to be consulted on) –
DC10plus comment – flexible working and working from home consultation should include the capacity and capability of existing and proposed broadband access.
12% more of us file online
Impressed and amused in equal measure by the announcement today from Stephen Timms @stephenctimms that there has been a 12% increase since last year in people filing their self assessment tax returns online.
6.4 million filed their returns online via the HMRC system … a huge success for their softly softly approach to moving services online …
the fact that amused was that 384,000 left it til 29th January ’10 to file and some 39,000 filed during what HMRC are referring to as ‘rush hour’ betewen 4-5pm that last Friday before the Sunday 31st January deadline.
To file online you need a key and a personal code … these take about 7 – 10 days to arrive (in the post) from date of registration on the HMRC site, and then you have until midnight on 31st January to file … paper tax returns have to be filed by 31st October.
@marthalanefox the ‘Digital Inclusion Champion’, is a fan of the idea of increasing numbers of Govt services being only available online as a cost saving exercise (huge savings) and also a way of ‘encouraging’ people to realise the benefits of being online …
It would be interesting to see a breakdown of the figures around age group and urban / rural from those returns filed … it would seem that the profile of a self assessment tax filer (if there is such a term) is likely not to be older or socially excluded.
Musings over but congratulations to HMRC on a job well done, as Stephen Timms put it, “More people than ever before are now filing their tax returns online. It’s easier, quicker and HMRC processes your return faster, so any money you’re owed is repaid more quickly. If you haven’t yet made the switch from paper to online, do so, and join the millions who are benefiting already.”
Lets just keep on keeping on to ensure that the digitally excluded or unengaged are part of the millions who are benefiting…
and it is reassuring to know that there are so many other people that leave their tax returns so late!
Twitter addresses to follow:
@marthalanefox
@raceonline
@stephenctimms
@dc10plusnetwork
'Digital Inclusion' or …
Sitting here with snow pattering down outside and just pondering the term ‘digital inclusion’ …
In the last few weeks it has been questioned by many people; it’s champion Martha Lane Fox now says publically, “I hate the phrase digital inclusion, it is a classic government term and nobody knows what it means”
“I have a very specific remit which is always misunderstood. I am not trying to get the whole country on broadband, or to get Radio 4 listeners online.
“I’ve been asked to look at the four million people who have never used the internet and are heavily economically challenged.”
IDF50 blogger Graham Andrews reckons the term came from the writers of Monty Python Sketches along with the Ministry of Silly Walks.
Stephen Dodson the Director of the DC10plus network has long been of the belief that we should be talking about simply ‘inclusion’ as digital inclusion now encompasses social inclusion, and Will Perrin of talk about local believes in dropping the ‘digital’ even more broadly … way back at the eGov Summit which Tony Blair addressed a fair few years back John Fisher caused titters by talking about dropping ‘e’.
So … did we drop the ‘e’ simply to change to the ‘d’?
The thing is, that as ‘digital inclusion’ becomes a more ‘public facing’ term (sorry about all the quote marks) you can bet that if you asked the average bloke on Kings Cross station during rush hour or woman crossing the Tyne Bridge if they knew what you meant by ‘digital inclusion’ they would probably simply glare at you and think you were talking about something nasty to do with fingers …
Thoughts please on a phrase that means something to all … and will inspire those who arn’t to join the ranks of us that are.
e-solated is not a word
Just had to make that point!
isolated
digitally excluded
NOT e-solated
http://www.guardian.co.uk/culture/2009/oct/25/internet-uk-martha-lane-fox
follow the progress of 4 people new to the Internet …
piece in the Observer Sunday 25th October ’09
and send letters to the editor regarding abuse of the English language please
Digital Inclusion in the spotlight
This has been an unusually busy week across the mainstream press for the issues around Digital Inclusion:
- Ofcom “set out the next steps to ensure availability, take-up and effective use of communications services” promising to address not-spots, support disabled customers and ensure easier access to emergency services, they also launched The Consortium in response to the Digtial Britain report published earlier in the year.
- The Consortium (launched by Ofcom Chairman Colette Bowe and Minister for Digital Britain Stephen Timms MP) aims to increase the reach, breadth and depth of digital technology use.
Read about it here
http://www.ofcom.org.uk/consumer/2009/10/consortium-launch/
the DC10plus network is delighted to be play a part in The Consortium.
- Also this week the BBC launch their Online Access Forum with Seetha Kumar as their Online Access Champion … in her own words Seetha explains why digital inclusion matters … she doesn’t say anything much new but reinforces everything that the other Champion – the Digital Inclusion one has been saying …
http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/bbcinternet/2009/10/online_access_forum_why_digita.html
- Talking of the Digital Inclusion Champion, Martha Lane Fox has been on or in pretty much every single available broadsheet or broadcast channel this week talking about the launch of RaceOnline 2012 “A rallying call to the country to get 4 million of the most disadvantaged people online over the next 3 years.”
You can see listen to her interview on the BBC Radio 4 Today programme here (07.15)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/today/hi/today/newsid_8304000/8304002.stm
http://www.actionforblindpeople.org.uk/data/files/mlf-podcast-final-1105.mp3
Read articles
http://www.epolitix.com/latestnews/article-detail/newsarticle/web-inclusion-champion-urges-creative-solutions/
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/blog/audio/2009/oct/13/tech-weekly-podcast-martha-lane-fox-digital-inclusion-arduino-micro-men
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/6308547/Martha-Lane-Fox-over-10-million-in-UK-never-been-online.html
http://www.retail-week.com/multichannel/online-retail/retail-can-close-the-online-divide/5007019.article
http://www.prnewswire.co.uk/cgi/news/release?id=268499
http://www.computing.co.uk/computing/news/2251182/closing-digital-divide
and even watch online on the BBC HardTalk programme
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/hardtalk/8303522.stm
So; task forces, champions, consortia …surely with this much attention being paid to the disadvantaged people who are paying an extra £560 a year on shopping and bill paying through not being online, some progress will be made. Government both central and local, corporates and the third sector all realise the importance of reaching out to and engaging with these digitally excluded people… Barnsley, under the determined guidance of Martin Cantor has committed to getting everybody in Barnsley online by 2012 with their Totally Online Barnsley project. Guess where Martha will be spending Get Online Day on 23rd October
The England footie game was online the other night maybe that will have encouraged a few more people online or will do so over time … however at this point the speed of Internet Access becomes an issue several people missed goals due to their wonky internet connections and Johann Tasker from Rural Focus pointed out on Twitter that he couldn’t even get a fast enough connection to watch it had he even wanted to as he lives in a broadband not spot … which brings us back to Ofcom.
Finland has made broadband access a legal right for all it’s citizens … now there’s an idea.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2009/oct/14/finland-broadband
In the meantime DC10plus members carry on working with the socially excluded in their areas – and maybe that is the nub of it – addressing social exclusion is key – something which Milton Keynes have succeed in achieving with their ConnectMK project, and Peoples Voice Media do from their Salford base through teaching the use of social media and community reporting to improve life skills, confidence and employment opportunities. http://www.peoplesvoicemedia.co.uk
MKconnect and DigiBrum projects featured in video
Great video featuring MKconnect and DigiBrum projects – thanks to WatfordGap and to Vimeo
DS4C in Action from watfordgap on Vimeo.
A Champion visit to Bristol
Martha Lane Fox visited Bristol at the end of July at the invitation of DC10plus founder member Connecting Bristol. The Digital Inclusion Champion and co-founder of LastMinute.com made the trip to find out more about the city’s work on Digital Inclusion and to help formulate ideas for the Government’s new Digital Inclusion Task Force, which she Chairs.
During the course of the vist Martha met with the Council’s Chief Exec and Leader, Bristol Media, Futurelab, i-Shed, Pure Ability, Bristol Wireless and other DC10 colleagues, she was shown the Council House, the Watershed and Knowle West Media Centre..
At Knowle West Media Centre the Neighbourhood Carbon Makeover, Knowle West Web and South Bristol Digital Neighbourhoods projects were highlighted.
The visit was seen as an opportunity for conversation and debate and the young people from e-Shed filmed a short video interview with Martha and with Barbara Janke the Leader of Bristol City Concil, part of which can be seen here (a fuller DVD will be available from Connecting Bristol and the Knowle West Media Centre.
Twitter for Govt – concise comms?
Late last week a link went round on Twitter to the ‘Template Twitter Strategy for Govt Departments’, this has now been more widely circulated and commented on by everybody from The Guardian to Radio 4. 20 pages to instruct on the use of 140 characters? Was this really necessary? Is Twitter not just a way of monitoring what people are having for breakfast or which train they are on?
With so many people still sceptical about Twitter and its benefits to Tweeter and followers (as evidenced by James Naughtie discussing the report with MP Tom Watson on the Radio 4 Today programme this morning), is it overkill to put out a strategy?
DC10plus network (http://www.twitter.com/dc10plusnetwork or more simply put @dc10plusnetwork) has been active on Twitter since January 09 (CLG and No 10 started early too) … we have been a learning curve but understanding of the protocols and etiquettes of this ‘micro-blogging’ have grown steadily and the DC10plusnetwork is now followed by Local Authorities, the public, journalists and digital engagment specialists, as has the realisation of the tremendous benefits to the public sector.
Local Govt particularly benefit from being able to both pick up news or information before it breaks more widely, and to seek opinion, promote web links and engage with citizens. Also being used to recruit, to publicise events and to research with local communities. Connecting Bristol used Twitter as a means of promoting their Next Generation Broadband workshop live stream which allowed literally thousands of people to benefit from a very useful event.
@digibrum
@connectednotts
@ConnectBristol
@norfolkCC
@StevetheFlemming
@SunderlandUK
@mdda
@stratfordDC
are just some of the @DC10plusnetwork members and local authorities on Twitter.
Local Councillors are using TweetyHall (@tweetyhall) and whilst the LGA has been fairly quiet with their Twitter page the National Association of Local Councils (@JustinGriggs) have been very proactive in learning how social media can benefit the most local level of Govermnet and as a result there are now many Parish and Town Councils across the country Twittering about local issues (which may well help with their drive to involve younger people in Parish and Town Councils).
MPs are also turning to Twitter to raise their profile and reach out to the electorate (and to comment) – Jim Knight provided an interesting insight into the Speaker Selection process live from Westminster (@JimKnightMP) and the Independent published a list of the Top 10 influential Twittering MPs including @JohnPrescott, @sadiqkhan and @joswinson,@sionsimon and of course @tom_watson
To ignore Twitter now means to ignore a very widely used, immediate and opinionated platform on which your brand, your local authority, or your project is likely to feature and be commented on – and to ignore a free and very easy to engage with ‘route to market’.
With COI now one of the highest spenders in online advertsing in the UK surely it is time to look to the ‘free’ medium of social media as a key channel – hence this timely draft Strategy document.
The 20 page epic (written by Neil Williams head of corporate digital channels at the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills or @neilyneil on Twitter) has much helpful guidance and is a good place to start.
You can read the full draft template – and indeed make it your own – see below. There are some helpful journalist links and links to central Govt depts on Twitter.
The document will evolve as the ways people use and monitor Twitter do – indeed the Citizenship Foundation have already published a draft update to it. Look back here over coming weeks for links to updates.
Template Twitter Strategy for Government Departments
We would also like to know how you have used Twitter in campaigns, local engagment and any pitfalls to look out for or huge success stories.
Latest from DigiBrum
Digital Birmingham are one of the original founding members of the DC10plus network …
you can follow their updates on Twitter @digibrum
and on their website
http://www.digitalbirmingham.co.uk/news
http://www.digitalbirmingham.co.uk/blog/
Bristol, Europe and Green ICT
“a great deal of attention was given to Bristol as a model city working on Green ICT”
Bristol shone out last week as a great example of a local authority working successfully on green ICT projects in the city at a meeting of the EPC Task Force on Green ICT.
The general discussion raised a great deal of interest in Bristol’s case.
The audience was impressed at how Bristol had actually calculated its targets and how they had managed to engage the community. Some key questions that were asked about Bristol’s work were:
- Does Bristol’s commitment to a quantified reduction in CO2 emissions, the calculation of the City Council’s emissions and the Green ICT solutions database allow an accurate public procurement?
- How does coordination takes place between national and local government policies?
- Does Bristol’s commitment to reduce CO2 emissions by 34% by 2020 include all the partners in the city and is the City Council in a position to be able to measure its progress accurately?
Also at the meeting, Arthur Mickoleit, Policy Analyst of the Information Economy Group, Directorate for Science, Technology and Industry at the OECD made a presentation:
- The OECD hosted a High-level Conference on ICTs, the Environment and Climate Change on 27-28 May 2009 in Denmark (http://www.oecd.org/document/15/0,3343,en_2649_34223_40472783_1_1_1_1,00.html).
The Working Party on the Information Economy has also produced a report on Assessing Policies and Programmes on ICT and the Environment (http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/47/12/42825130.pdf).
- Arthur presented ICT as part of both the problem and the solution of climate change. He looked at three areas of working on Green ICT in order for integrated systemic change in a city or region:
1) Technology, including green ICT procurement;
2) Application, including smart meters; and
3) Societal change, including energy production.
- The OECD is working with three cities on the topic of green ICT policies:
1) Rivas – Vaciamadrid (Spain);
2) Western Harbour in Malmo (Sweden); and
3) L’Aquila (Italy).
- In terms of policy coordination, the OECD points out the need for better grasp of the potential of innovation in ICTs, the outreach beyond the ICT policy communities, the need for initiatives between the different levels of government (EU, national, regional and local) and for ICT to be central to all green growth agendas.
If you have any thoughts on this or examples of Green ICT from your area please leave a comment below.