Local gov't CIOs to shape national IT policy

Local government chief information officers are being invited to join a UK-wide body that will help shape national IT policy.

The Local Government CIO Council met for the first time on 1 April after being set up by local government IT group the Society of IT Management (Socitm).

The group will meet three times per year and report to the main Government CIO Council, allowing local government issues to be put on the national CIO agenda.

President of Socitm, Rose Crozier, said the new group would allow local CIOs to make a positive contribution to "advancing the transformational government agenda".

Members of the Local Government CIO Council include, among others: Peter Bole, head of ICT commissioning at Kent County Council; Richard Steel, CTO Council member and CIO at the London Borough of Newham; Dylan Roberts, head of ICT at Leeds City Council; Jos Creese, CIO Council member and head of ICT at Hampshire County Council and Tim Rainey, assistant chief executive at Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council.