Question 1

Transforming the customer experience (click for more info)

Accepted Answer

We want you to use the insight of our customers to transform their experience of interacting with us. This will inform a range of solutions you will move forward including more intuitive information, advice and guidance, more personalised services, a single digital gateway into services, integrated and automated end-to-end processes, and using technologies such as AI to make our services more responsive. We also want you to help us make greater use of low code platforms and agile delivery so we can roll out digital solutions at pace.

Question 2

A revolution in the use of data and insight  (click for more info)

Accepted Answer

We are on a journey of moving towards greater use of data science and data engineering to harvest the vast amount of data we hold across multiple systems and turning this into actionable insight. We have developed a data engineering function which is doing some really interesting work to use technology to develop new insight. We want you to further define the ambition, the technology requirements, and the plan to get there. This will enable us to better forecast demand for services like adult’s and children’s social care and housing so we can better plan at a strategic level. It will allow us to intervene at an earlier stage, spotting signs of crisis at individual level before circumstances escalate. It will also help us understand the impact of our interventions, inform proposals for redesigning services, and ensure we remain focused on our priorities.

Question 3

Enhancing our productivity  (click for more info)

Accepted Answer

Our highly valued colleagues across the council are always striving to deliver the best possible services, often in demanding circumstances. We want you to fully utilise existing productivity tools to enhance collaboration, the hybrid working experience, and to further automate internal transactions. Additional technologies that can help us achieve these aims will be considered. Crucially, all the above needs to be underpinned by user engagement and a comprehensive programme of upskilling our colleagues.

Question 4

New models of delivery  (click for more info)

Accepted Answer

We want you to suggest how we can deploy technologies to completely transform service models. For example, how can we use assistive technology to deliver social care? How can we transform our case management systems to join up our services with partner organisations such as the NHS? How can we use internet of things technology to ensure our communities have effective transport and are well maintained? And how can we ensure that the benefits of digital are accessible to all?

Question 5

Getting the foundations right  (click for more info)

Accepted Answer

We recognise that all the above needs to be built on strong foundations You will ensure we have the right approaches for security, compliance, and value for money. You will also take a one council approach to procuring systems and capabilities.

Question 6

A new service  (click for more info)

Accepted Answer

You will have a unique opportunity to design a new service and a new technical environment to help us deliver our ambitions. The councils ICT service is currently a retained client model with operational ICT delivered by Cheshire East Council on our behalf. Cheshire East supports 7,500 users across the two councils at an annual cost of £15m. It provides helpdesk, end user computing, architecture, application management, networks, hosting and projects. It is governed by a joint board, shared service agreement and performance management arrangements.The retained client is responsible for business relationship management, specifying and procuring applications, managing licensing, security policies, and overseeing the performance of the shared service.

By 2025 ICT will move to a new model. The majority of services will return to the council with the exception of Data centre and network services. Further information can be found in the following reports Shared Services Joint Committee January 2023.() This is a major change programme and expert support is in place to manage the transition. A newly designed model for the service is being finalised with a different configuration of staff and a green field site for a new tenancy. We want the new service to be fully aligned to the business, responsive, and to have the right skills to meet our ambition.  A key responsibility for this role will be to support the transition to the new model and embed new ways of working, working closely alongside the workforce.

Head of Digital, Data and Technology