The Joint IT Committee of Brent, Lewisham, and Southwark councils met virtually to discuss the performance and security of the Shared Technology Service (STS). The meeting's agenda focused on updates regarding the ongoing operations of the STS, including service level performance, ongoing projects, and identified risks.

Shared Technology Service Update Report

The committee was scheduled to receive an update on the performance of the Shared Technology Service (STS) between November 2023 and February 2024. This report detailed progress on key performance indicators, including significant reductions in open operational calls and improvements in Service Level Agreement (SLA) performance for priority 3 and 4 incidents. The report also highlighted ongoing work on the Performance Improvement Plan, the upgrade of Wi-Fi in Lewisham's Laurence House, and the migration of Southwark, Brent, and Lewisham to the O2 mobile tariff.

Further updates were expected on the completion of the Private Cloud Project, the development of next-generation laptops with a migration to the Office 365 Intune environment, and the ongoing laptop refresh project. The report also covered progress on Wi-Fi upgrades across the partner boroughs, the implementation of an Always On VPN solution to replace Microsoft Direct Access, and network upgrades using SD-WAN technology. Additionally, the committee was to be informed about the progress of Windows 2012 server upgrades in Brent and Lewisham, and the status of the Telephony and Contact Centre renewal.

The report also outlined continuous service improvement initiatives, such as the implementation of an asset management system in Southwark and a trial 'quick log' facility in Brent. It detailed the top 10 risks identified for STS, including cyber security threats, uncontrolled spend on Azure services, and the increasing threat of data loss via the IT supply chain. Progress on various audits, including those for Brent's IT Disaster Recovery (DR) and Southwark's Shared Service Governance, was also to be presented. The committee was to receive an overview of the Technology Roadmap for 2026 and forward plans, alongside updates on specific projects like the Southwark Leisure Centres network integration and the Private Cloud – Compute and Storage project.

Shared Technology Service Cyber Security Update Report

A separate report was scheduled to provide an update on the cyber security status, threats, and mitigations related to the Shared Technology Services. This included details on the development of a new STS Cyber Security Strategy for 2021-2024, outlining plans to enhance capabilities in defending against, deterring, developing responses to, and reacting to cyber threats. The report was expected to detail current threats and mitigating actions across these key areas.

Future Meetings

The committee was also scheduled to note the provisional dates for future Joint Committee meetings during the 2024-25 Municipal Year, with meetings planned for July 2024, November 2024, and March 2025.