CONFERENCE: ‘JOINING UP THE WEST MIDLANDS’
Added: (Tue Oct 26 2004)
Pressbox (Press Release) -
E-GOVERNANCE PARTNERSHIP IN THE REGION
Birmingham, 12 November 2004
Central Government is keen to encourage a partnership approach to Local Government, in particular, electronic service delivery. A conference to explore UK and European thinking on ‘e’-partnerships is taking place on Friday 12 November at Aston Villa Football Club in Birmingham.
The event will showcase successful ‘e’-partnerships across the West Midlands. It will set those initiatives within the current national framework for change, and position them within a European framework.
Comprising speakers and workshops, the one day event is organised by the team behind the Knowledge Engine (KEN). The West Midlands Local Government Association (WMLGA)’s SMARTregion Partnership is driving KEN, a tool that will enable greater collaboration via the web for the 38 local authorities in the region. Knowledge Management is one of the government’s 22 National Projects that aim to improve efficiency and reduce costs in back-office operations through developments in online services for local government.
The event is attracting senior local authority officers from across the West Midlands and beyond, including heads of policy, chief executives, e-champions, heads of service and other interested parties. Places are still available, and there is no charge to attend.
Key speakers include:
• ODPM on ‘Regional partnerships: assisting authorities in formulating effective partnerships’
• West Midlands in Europe on ‘Linking into Europe’
• SMARTRegion Partnership on KEN: ‘Development of the Knowledge Engine (KEN)’
• Acer Marketing and Communications: ‘New research into communications in local government‘
Sessions will be chaired by:
• Nigel Summers CBE, joint chair of the SMARTRegion Partnership and Chief Executive of Sandwell MBC
• Nigel Pursey, joint chair of the SMARTRegion Partnership and Chief Executive of Staffordshire CC
Afternoon workshops will showcase a number of regional e-collaboration and smart-working programmes from local authorities in the region such as ‘Switch on Shropshire’ and South Worcestershire Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership.
The event also celebrates KEN being made available to the 270,000 local government staff in the West Midlands.
For more details or to book your place contact: email: p.kendal@smartregion.org.uk, ring 0121 245 0190 or book online at http://www.askken.org.uk/conference. Refreshments are provided and there is no charge to attend but places are limited, so book soon.
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NOTES TO EDITORS:
About the Knowledge Engine (KEN)
Funded by ODPM and the European Regional Development Fund, KEN was conceived in December 2002 and will go live on 12 November 2004 to enable all local government employees in the West Midlands to work together online in the delivery of more efficient services.
38 authorities in the West Midlands will be able to use KEN:
- Metropolitan Authorities: Birmingham City, Coventry City, Dudley, Sandwell, Solihull, Walsall, Wolverhampton City.
- County Councils: Shropshire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire, Worcestershire.
- Unitary Authorities: Herefordshire, Stoke-on-Trent, Telford & Wrekin.
- District & Borough Councils: Bridgnorth, Bromsgrove, Cannock Chase, East Staffordshire, Lichfield, Malvern Hills, Newcastle under Lyme, North Shropshire, North Warwickshire, Nuneaton & Bedworth, Owestry, Redditch, Rugby, Shrewsbury & Atcham, South Shropshire, South Staffordshire, Stafford, Staffordshire Moorlands, Stratford-on-Avon, Tamworth, Warwick, Worcester City, Wychavon, Wyre Forest
www.askken.org.uk
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:
Catherine Dhanjal, TheAnswer Ltd, Tel: 0208 655 0953/0794 166 9925, Catherine.dhanjal@theansweruk.com
Pete Kendal, West Midlands Local Government Association, Tel: 0121 245 0190 p.kendal@smartregion.org.uk
Date: 26 October 2004 Ref: TA-234