Socitm and LGA win cost reducing concessions for local authorities around standards for connection to the Public Sector Network

Socitm and the Local Government Association (LGA) have reached agreement with the Cabinet Office over the security standards required for local authorities to connect to the Government Secure Extranet (GCSx), the network that will allow sharing of data and services across government and a vital element in delivering efficient electronic services.

The agreement meets local public services' concerns about the cost of connection to GCSx and its future migration to the Public Sector Network (PSN) by recognising the existence of 'low threat environments' in local public services. Modified standards for the Government Connect Code of Connection (CoCo) version 4.1 for these environments will ensure that expensive, new investments are not required by local authorities. This means that local public services organisations will not incur any significant additional costs or burdens over and above those that they have incurred already to become CoCo v3.2 compliant.

Socitm and the LGA raised the issue with the Cabinet Office, the Government Connect Management Body and the PSN team, following considerable concern from local public service providers about the cost of implementing CoCo v4.1.

These implementation costs would have been additional to the requirement to pay for physical Government Connect Secure Extranet (GCSx) connections from 1 April 2011, when the current subsidy expires. Consequently, there was a significant risk that some local public services organisations might have considered terminating their GCSx connections, particularly given the severe pressures on budgets in the current financial climate.

Following coordinated effort by the Socitm, the LGA and the Local CIO Council (LCIOC - which is run by Socitm) this mutually beneficial way forward was agreed at a meeting of the Managed Telecoms Executive, the body that governs the Government Secure Intranet (GSi) and the Managed Telecoms Service for HM Government, on 2nd September.

Further concessions have been secured on the timescales for local authorities to move to full compliance with CoCo v4.1, as well as agreement on a much more collaborative approach to future developments around PSN implementation, with input from local government being actively sought and acted upon. A team has been set up to represent local authorities in this process through the Socitm-managed LCIOC.

In a letter about the agreement sent to Socitm members on 13 September, President Jos Creese, and Dylan Roberts, Chair of Socitm Futures, state:

'Government Connect has brought delivery of a sound base standard for information assurance to local public services. This helps to provide assurance to citizens that their data is safe in our hands. Clearly new risks emerge over time and information assurance controls need to be continually updated. We recognise this and feel confident that those controls developed as part of the PSN programme will be appropriate in terms of the risk profile of local public services.'

They conclude by urging members to implement GCSx:

'The use of GCSx has matured and is the recommended option for joining up across place. Advice and guidance is available on how to initiate new data exchanges and shared services across government using GCSx. There are some good business cases and GCSx is seen as the natural transition to PSN that will be designed to be more appropriate and aligned to local public service requirements.'

The letter to Socitm members is available at http://www.socitm.net/downloads

Notes to editors:

The supplementary guidance to CoCo v4.1 relaxes some of the previous 'MUSTs' e.g.

• EAL4 firewalls not required.
• Wireless - looser interpretation of Manual Y.
• Removes need for 'formal assurance of higher domains'
• Can add protective markings to emails manually and makes explicit that you don't have to use national markings (e.g. can use National Health Service equivalent).
• It also makes explicit that local authorities have a reasonable time to implement controls.

Media enquiries:

Vicky Sargent
Vicky.sargent@socitm.net
07726 601139