A hello from me - Kristin Warry of Swindon BC (SIG web coordinator)

There’s an old Chinese curse which says “may you live in interesting times”. This is surely an interesting time for those of us in public sector GI, particularly at the local level. Not only are we trying to expand the use of emergent technology whilst cutting costs so hard that many of us have had our jobs threatened or downgraded; but now we are also facing even more Licencing uncertainty whilst at the same time our managers think the data is now all free to use for whatever they like. It gets increasingly harder to counteract these misconceptions about our roles as we get even more detached from the senior management. Most of us are 3 steps away from our Directors – They tell the Managers what they want, who in turn go to their technical staff, who come to us when they need our help. This is even worse as we start to form partnerships and outsource more and more. However, as long as we recognise these issues, then we can work on them, in our usual patient and persistent manner.

I am personally starting to see cracks in the wall separating us from these decision makers, and you must also be ready to act when the arguments start to hit your senior staff. This is where the AGI comes in, instead of LoGGIC or your regional chairs. The AGI is an independent body, so doesn’t get as bogged down in the politics as we so often do. It is here to be the lobbying body, and the source of expert knowledge and networks. The AGI are talking to the CLG, and Solace (Society of Local Authority Chief Executives) and we are told there is soon to be a push via your Chief Executives to put more into GI and spatial intelligence. This is where the newly formed Public Services SIG will come into its own – representing all the local services from a bringing together of the LG, Health and Emergency Planning SIGs to reflect our new society where a council may also be a PCT and many services are outsourced. This blog will be the first point of contact for you all to come. Yes that’s a hard sell, but it needs to be. The committee have all undertaken to write here regularly and include links, news and maybe even the odd rumour. I hope you enjoy this also, and feel free to sign up to join the wider PS SIG group and be the first to know.