Think Cyber - Think Resilience: National Cyber Security Programme Local Leadership Seminars

Newcastle Upon Tyne | Leeds | Bristol | Manchester | Cambridge | London | Nottingham | Birmingham

Always on digital local services? Always think cyber resilience, says William Barker, Head of Digital & Cyber Resilience Practice, DCLG.

Digital security breaches are a threat for both the private and public sectors - with the theft of data and websites coming under attack a constant concern. All organisations are at risk in our increasingly interconnected and fast-changing world and this includes everyday modern services provided by local government .

Local authorities and their partners find themselves at the fore-front of cyber-attacks and crime therefore building resilience has never been so important. Providing effective leadership across localities in the face of such challenges is critical. As is understanding how to mitigate threats and boost people’s awareness both within town halls and the wider public, if we are to become more resilient.

To support this priority, the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG), in association with the Government's National Cyber Security Programme (NCSP) and other key strategic partners, is hosting a series of free seminars aimed at organisational leaders across all levels of local government and local resilience forums to highlight the importance of cyber resilience across localities.

Attendees will be given the latest advice on how to make their organisation more cyber resilient and what they can do to protect themselves from persistent threats online.

Aims and objectives: Local leadership seminars have been designed specifically for senior leaders and officers in local authorities and their strategic partners. They aim to:

• Raise awareness about the NCSP, explain the role of key national strategic partners and increase understanding of the importance of Cyber Resilience in localities
• Provide local leaders, policy makers and practitioners guidance on developing a cyber-aware culture within their organisations and across their partnerships
• Offer guidance on where to go for further advice or training, and how to get guidance or help in responding to cyber incidents
• Foster local resilience community networking

Programme: The seminar programme will provide participants with a view on the ways and means leaders, policymakers and practitioners can develop a cyber-aware culture within their organisations so that strong cyber resilience is seen as not just an IT issue but a key part of the wider operating culture and an integral part of the corporate DNA. They will comprise a mixture of key note presentations, interactive workshops, and Q&A plenary sessions featuring contributions from:

• DCLG -  Outlining the issues and guidance for local government on cyber threats and how to mitigate them.
• CESG - the information security arm of GCHQ and national technical authority for information assurance in the UK about the 10 Steps to Cyber Security all organisations need to take
• CERT-UK - the UK national computer emergency response team, which manages the Cyber-security Information Sharing Partnership (CiSP)
• National Archives - whose role includes providing advice and guidance to public sector bodies on information management including information assurance and cyber security training
• Government Digital Service - which administrates the Public Services Network (PSN) and develops other elements of the Government as a Platform (GaaP) national infrastructure

As well as hearing from key national strategic partners, delegates will have the opportunity to network with up to 80 other attendees at each event - an ideal opportunity to build locally-based support networks.

Who should attend? Local leaders and senior officers, policy makers, practitioners and the wider resilience community including: Chief Executives, Executive Directors, Heads of Service, Local Resilience Leads, Senior Category One Responders, Senior Information Officers, Heads of IT, Heads of Policy.

For more information and to book your place, please go the following events pages: