President's message to Socitm Insight
Text of the open letter dated 27 May 2010 from Jos Creese, Socitm President, to Martin Greenwood, Programme Manager, Socitm Insight.
"As new President of Socitm, I am writing to each part of the Society to encourage dialogue.
Socitm Insight plays a key role and you know I have been dedicated to its successful development over many years. Through its best practice research, direct member engagement, and careful anticipation of changes affecting local public services, it must help local public services to reform, collaborate and innovate by using technology better. Never has Insight been more relevant to lead the thinking about the role of IT in addressing the joint challenge of cuts and growing demands.
You will not be surprised if I emphasise how important I feel that it is for the Society that Insight's activities are driven by a marriage of Socitm's policy priorities, as determined by Socitm Futures, and our members' interests, both of which I know are high in your priorities. Integrating Insight's activities in this way will strengthen what we do and build on the undoubted creativity of Insight. Harnessing the views and capacity of the membership is a personal priority with which I hope you will help me.
This integration of priorities will help to avoid any competing vision, however well intended, or chasing 'themes' which emerge but are outside our chosen policy areas. The Head of Policy, Socitm Futures and the Local CIO Council (LCIOC) are all important partners to assist Insight.
I'd also like to ask Insight to champion the work of the Society on the role of IT in local public services reform, building practical models for delivery which can be used in councils, third sector, health, education, emergency services, and central government. The themes we have already agreed in this respect include information and data sharing, efficiency, shared services and citizen/staff engagement.
The Socitm Insight team have my full support, and I would welcome the opportunity to discuss this letter further if this would be helpful for you, the Insight Steering Group and Insight team.
Kind regards
Jos Creese
President, Socitm"
Download this letter