Unfolding plans 198 – Connectivity

If there is one thing that will set the North East apart from its competitor regions it will be connectivity.  Of course I mean network connectivity rather than motorways, rail and air.  These others are very important yet may take a little longer to get where we would like to be.  We don’t have a … Continue reading Unfolding plans 198 – Connectivity

Unfolding plans 177 – North East ICT

At this week's North East ICT managers meeting we spent a lot of time talking about devolution.  It is a topic that is exercising the minds of many of us in local government at the moment.  It is the hot button issue. It was a good meeting.  All of the seven councils in the soon-to-arrive … Continue reading Unfolding plans 177 – North East ICT

Unfolding plans 163 – Durham City connectivity

Superfast broadband connectivity across Durham and the region has been a big issue for us.  The Digital Durham programme has been running for a few years now.  Indeed our first ever cabinet to go live was number 56 just around the corner from Next in the centre of the city.   That was a good day … Continue reading Unfolding plans 163 – Durham City connectivity

Unfolding plans 133 – summit else

The motorcycle outriders held the traffic up at Thinford roundabout.  Their blue lights cut through the dank morning air. Helicopters hovered above as the threat level was set at high.  The limousines with their blacked out windows sped through the empty roads before screeching to a halt outside the Educational Development Centre.  The delegates hurried … Continue reading Unfolding plans 133 – summit else

Unfolding plans 99 – I was even trending

This is part two of the presentation I made at the conference on ‘Transforming The Way We Work: A Vision for Mobile Public Sector.’  It is an abridged version.  OK, it is cheating a bit but I’m not the only blogger to have ever recycled his or her own material.  After all I did spend … Continue reading Unfolding plans 99 – I was even trending

Unfolding plans 95 – Spennymoor in the millennium

This postcard challenge is going to be harder than I thought.  By day two I was close to throwing in the towel but my never say die attitude pulled it off in the end.  It seems that postcards are only sold in tourist type destinations and are not ubiquitous.  Why didn’t I think of that?  … Continue reading Unfolding plans 95 – Spennymoor in the millennium

Unfolding plans 94 – exciting times in the North East

London is a hot place when the sun shines.  On Wednesday it got well over thirty degrees.  I think I was the only one in the capital to be wearing a jacket and tie but standards have to be kept.  I had caught the train down (yes not up) to present at a conference on … Continue reading Unfolding plans 94 – exciting times in the North East

Unfolding plans 90 – The one I’ve been looking forward to

This is the one that I’ve been looking forward to, the broadband launch at Wolsingham. Finally we have made it to the places where they said it would never happen. I forget how long it is that I’ve been working on the problem of poor broadband. It could be as long as ten years. I … Continue reading Unfolding plans 90 – The one I’ve been looking forward to

Unfolding plans 86 – no internet access

My WiFi at home is broken. It's like we've gone back to the dark ages if not the Stone Age. Everything I have taken for granted when using my connected devices over the last few years has disappeared. Chickens have come home to roost. I've had to rely on 3G through the phone. I don't … Continue reading Unfolding plans 86 – no internet access

Unfolding Plans 51 – not the best time for a photo shoot

Perhaps this morning wasn’t the best of times for a photo shoot.  By nine thirty when we had all gathered to have our pictures taken the moon had made its way across the sun.  Our two greatest celestial bodies had combined to turn day back into night.  I know that the eclipse, however partial, had … Continue reading Unfolding Plans 51 – not the best time for a photo shoot