Day 32 – 17 February 2014 Take two one-to-ones with members of my team, two tier 4 managers and two heads of service. Add to this a couple of other meetings and that was my day. I started at Meadowfield, travelled to County Hall and ended up at Tanfield. Eight meetings in three locations was … Continue reading A year of work in progress – day 32
A year of work in progress – day 31
Day 31 – 14 February 2014 Valentine’s Day is the day when love hangs heavy in the air. What better way to spend the morning than with BT? We have a meaty contract with them to deliver the broadband infrastructure for the Digital Durham programme and so it’s important that we maintain excellent relations throughout … Continue reading A year of work in progress – day 31
A year of work in progress – day 28
Day 28 – 11 February 2014 Ah well. I didn’t win. Newcastle and Bucks did so at least something came to the region. I got down to the last six out of fifty seven bids and I made a couple of useful contacts, one from the Department for Communities and Local Government and one form … Continue reading A year of work in progress – day 28
A year of work in progress – day 27
Day 27 – 10 February 2014 Today I was in Slough, at O2’s offices. I’d entered a competition to win some help from The Local Government Digital Fund. I hadn’t expected to get anywhere but got shortlisted into the last six and was asked to present my thoughts at a Dragon’s Den style event. I … Continue reading A year of work in progress – day 27
A year of work in progress – day 26
Day 26 – 7 February 2014 Today was all about Building Schools for the Future or BSF to use its initials. The brain child of Tony Blair’s government, BSF was designed as an investment programme to improve the lot of secondary schools across the country. Apparently politicians from all English political parties were supportive of … Continue reading A year of work in progress – day 26
A year of work in progress – day 24
Day 24 – 5 February 2014 On the way to Newcastle yesterday I was listening to a play on Radio 4. They have some very good stuff on and it always amazes me how the radio manages to paint pictures with words. The play was called Test Case and was about a man who was … Continue reading A year of work in progress – day 24
A year of work in progress – day 19
Day 19 – 29 January 2014 It is easier to get from where I live to Seaham through the Tyne Tunnel and I pretend to myself that this makes a welcome change from my normal daily commute. I just get stuck in different places. An accident at Moor Farm roundabout didn’t help. Our offices there … Continue reading A year of work in progress – day 19
A year of work in progress – day 18
Day 18 – 28 January 2014When I worked for Spicers, Europe’s largest distributor of office products, I would spend a lot of time in continental Europe and I remember that a French colleague of mine would always struggle with the English phrase ‘every other’. I’m not sure it translated well. I thought of him this … Continue reading A year of work in progress – day 18
A year of work in progress – day 16
Day 16 – 24 January 2014 Apart from the occasional café the shop windows were still dark as I made my way across the old Town Square in Durham. I pulled up the collar of my coat. Even the brisk walk down from the station wasn’t enough to beat back the freezing air that bit … Continue reading A year of work in progress – day 16
Big Data
We already have the answers to many of the big issues that we are facing. They are hidden within the datasets that we have. They are stored away on servers, databases, PCs and filing cabinets just waiting to be discovered. There are patterns amongst the data that can lead us to new ways of providing … Continue reading Big Data
Thoughts from a Guerrilla Worker 