Agenda item

To receive written and verbal updates on:

·       Multi Factor Authentication and Acceptable Usage Policy

·       Go-live

·       Expenses Policy

Barry Jordan, OD & People Change Service Manager, and Tamsin Kielb, Director of HR & OD, provided written and verbal updates to the Committee on Multi-Factor Authentication and the Acceptable Usage Policy, the launch of Oracle, and minor changes to the Expenses Policy.

Acceptable Usage Policy: Multi-Factor Authentication Introduction

·       It was explained that the policy had been updated to reflect best practice in line with the fast-paced nature of the area, and to ensure that the Council continued to employ the most robust security tools available.

·       The main considerations for the Committee were outlined as per the report, with specific attention drawn to Paragraphs 6 and 8.

·       It was highlighted that the policy referred to anyone accessing Wiltshire Council information and therefore Councillors, among others, would be bound by the policy’s terms. Members requested that Paragraph 2a of the policy be amended to specifically note that the policy applied to Councillors and stressed the importance of informing all Councillors of the changes. Members also suggested advertising the changes on specific Councillor focussed systems and organising a detailed briefing for all Councillors through the Democratic Services, IT, and Information Governance Teams.

·       It was further noted that the first cloud application to utilise Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) would be Oracle, which was due to be launched under the Evolve programme. Officers acknowledged that it was a significant adjustment to previous working practices and had therefore worked with focus groups and other members of staff to run pilots and seek feedback to understand where the pinch points were.

·       Members queried what support was in place to help those people that may struggle with the changes. Officers explained that there was a step-by-step guide as part of the set-up process which should help in the first instance, but if there were any further issues then there would be contact information to signpost people to specific support staff.

·       Members highlighted that it was useful to have tracked changes shown on updated policies for Members to easily see any amendments.

·       In response to a request, officers agreed to substitute the word “dodgy” for “suspicious” when used throughout the policy.

·       In reference to phishing and spearfishing, it was emphasised that in the interest of doubt, any suspicious emails should be forwarded to informationgovernance@wiltshire.gov.uk for further investigation.

·       Officers alongside the Cabinet Member with the responsibility for IT, Broadband, and Digital, reassured Members that they were satisfied with the approach that the IT and Information Governance Teams had in place.

Launch of Oracle

·       It was confirmed that Oracle was due to launch on Monday 13 November 2023 with a staggered, phased approach.

·       Details were then given for the main support mechanisms available, namely:

o   Self-service guidance documents on sharepoint.

o   171 ‘super users’ covering all services who had been given additional training and were acting as change agents to support the transition.

o   A dedicated mailbox if people experienced particular issues.

o   Online training guides.

o   Dedicated areas in County Hall and Monkton Park where one-to-one support was available for three weeks after the initial launch.

·       Members expressed enthusiasm at the launch of the system and asked how officers were engaging with those people that would be affected by the transition. It was explained that as it was a cloud-based system, and therefore reliant on internet and bandwidth capabilities, communications would be staggered in hourly blocks to mitigate any congestion. Furthermore, officers had created a series of launch videos and internal communications that would be circulated to all relevant parties to notify them of the changes and generate interest.

·       It was explained that the Council ran a series of independent systems relevant to different services such as payroll, staff training, and recruitment processes. However, these different services would be consolidated into Oracle which would therefore lessen additional administration and maintenance requirements and instead provide a more holistic picture, thus supporting better decision making and data analysis.

·       It was clarified that the savings gleaned from the integration of the systems would be realised over a number of years, but that it would provide a wider financial perspective in areas such as bulk buying and procurement.

·       Officers reassured Members that the Evolve Team were responsible for the system itself, however officers within the Finance and HR Teams had specific roles to continuously review the system to ensure compliance and identify any areas for improvement.

Expenses Policy Update

·       It was briefly explained that there was a minor change to the Expenses Policy due to the launch of Oracle as the system allowed for expenses to be processed twice a month, instead of the current system of once a month. As such, the policy had been amended to note the change.

Resolved:

The Committee approved the Acceptable Use Policy subject to amendments as raised during the meeting.

The Committee noted the update on Oracle and the subsequent amendment to the Expenses Policy.