Podcast
At Play In The Garden of Eden
Hosted by Joe Tibbetts · EN
Two men, one an American Ai engineer and game designer living in Seattle and an English documentary film maker living in Dover, England in conversation about AI, documentaries, chess, human stupidity and the future of the human race.
83episodes
Episodes
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Counter Measures No4 - how a trusted member of staff committed a £2.1m fraud and what LB Barnet did next
Oct 10, 201900:28:14Tap to summarizeClair Green, Director of Assurance at London Borough of Barnet tells Rachael Tiffen, Director Local Government at CIFAS, about an unprecedented fraud In December 2017, the council became aware of what turned out to be an unprecedented internal financial fraud, committed by a former member of staff then working as part of an outsourced contract. The individual responsible was prosecuted and pleaded guilty to two separate charges of 'Fraud by Abuse of Position' and received a custodial prison sentence. Capita, the holder of the outsourced contract, underwrote the loss from the fraud to the council and money was also recovered from gambling establishments where the proceeds of the crime were largely spent. The council subsequently commissioned Grant Thornton to carry out an independent review of financial controls. This enabled the council to understand and document the circumstances under which the fraud was allowed to happen, and to identify lessons learned. The report found that there were insufficient financial controls in place in the outsourced finance and regeneration services and that the council did not have sufficient oversight. The council is now implementing a plan to increase financial controls through revised procedures and processes including increased controls of payments and revised schemes of delegation. Clair explains that Barnet Council are keen to be as open and transparent as they can be about the incident, to learn for themselves and to share that learning with others.
Transcribe →Planning across place is key to tackling challenges of ageing populations
Oct 9, 201900:15:13Tap to summarizeThe proportion of over 65s and 85s in Shropshire is growing faster than in most parts of the UK and that concentrates the mind, says Andy Begley in this discussion recorded at the recent Tech 7 event in Shrewsbury. Provision for older people cannot be sorted by the social care department working alone, and in any case, says Mark Barrow, whose remit covers local economic development, decisions about roads, housing and other infrastructure have significant impacts on the quality and sustainability of life for over 65s. This will in turn impact their future demand on local health and care services. This thinking is driving work by the council – including 'The Bridge' an immersive and interactive data visualisation initiative - to make better use of their vast access to data about the location and condition of people and assets, for prediction and planning purposes. When data is layered together to present rich information, colleagues really engage, says Andy Begley, and 'can start to see solutions'. The realtionship with providers also changes when data is visualised and shared: the council stops simply acting as a commissioner and can start having conversations with the market about how problems can be solved together.
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Doteveryone on regulating for responsible technology
Oct 9, 201900:23:41Tap to summarizeDirector of Policy Catherine Miller describes how the thinktank is working with regulators across all sectors on measures to counter harmful effects on society of recent and rapid digital change. The conversation draws on Doteveryone's 2018 report on regulating technology, as well as its research findings on the tech-related anxieties experienced by the public, including a feeling that no-one 'has their back', and uncertainty about where redress for any harms might be sought. There is no dedicated tech regulator or ombudsman, and Doteveryone's report concluded that this was not the answer. Individual regulatory bodies need to carry on regulating specialist patches like markets, or elections, or shipping, or the media, but need support to help them adapt to cover the impact of tech on the fields in which they operate. Regulators, many of which are small organisations, can struggle to access the expertise and capacity they need to know when and how to intervene in situations where, for example, the internet or social media are central. Doteveryone has recommended establishment of an 'Office for Responsible Technology' to provide this additional resource. This wide-ranging conversation touches on the ability of individual nations to regulate global tech giants, the significant impact of GDPR, whether AI can learn to self-regulate, and what might be expected in forthcoming legislation.
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Counter Measures No3 - Durham's anti fraud team recovers £4.5m since 2015
Jul 18, 201900:25:31Tap to summarizeThis conversation reveals how Durham County Council has developed its comprehensive counter fraud strategy from pretty much a standing start to a significant activity that to date has identified or intercepted £4.5m worth of fraudulent activity. The team has worked on 2001 cases covering the old favourites - blue badge, business rates, council tax discounts, tenancy frauds, procurement – and some newer ones associated with things like right-to-buy and direct payments for social care. In one case mentioned, a £100,000 fraud was identified from direct payments arranged for a disabled person who was some time later spotted partying on social media. The hard work of building internal support and external networks (police, social landlords, other councils) is well described, including engagement with national initiatives like 'Fighting Fraud and Corruptions Locally' managed by Cifas. Cifas is now beginning work on a new version of the strategy for publication in 2020, and seeking volunteers to help. Contact Rachael at Cifas to find out more.
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West Midlands Workforce Alliance creates "safe space" for challenging health and social care discussions
Jul 16, 201900:21:42Tap to summarizeAfter a decade of austerity, people working in social care have got used to hard decisions and making do. But the message emerging from the meeting of the West Midlands Workforce Alliance in early July was one of energy and optimism. There is a growing recognition of the contribution that social care makes to the local economy of the West Midlands and a greater appreciation of a whole range of careers and professions, not just those traditionally represented in the media in a downbeat and unflattering way. Other reasons to be cheerful include wider adoption of digital tools - after a slow start due to some leadership uncertainties and real concerns about risks – recent suggestions of more resources coming into the sector, and a move towards neighbourhoods as the proper focus for service provision, supported by new developments like Primary Care Networks and Integrated Care Systems. Against this background the West Midlands Workforce Alliance is providing a promising 'safe space' for some challenging discussions around such topics as pay disparities and disconnections between different parts of the system to be faced and resolved contructively.
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Leaders & Leadership 3 - leadership in a digital world
Jun 28, 201900:26:05Tap to summarizeHeading up one of the country's newest councils - one that only came into being on April 1 - Matt is also the policy spokesman on digital leadership for the council chiefs' body Solace. In this digital age, he says, the speed of change requires leaders be even more curious, willing to learn, and prepared to invest time in thinking about what's coming next. One of the benefits of today's tech for leaders is that it makes it easier for them to be visible, even with a highly dispersed workforce, providing they are prepared to take advantage and make time for things like regular vlogging and participation in interactive and live-streamed meetings. Digital skills and behaviours are now essential for employees, and new hires must demonstrate these. However the existing workforce should also be supported to acquire them, and its notable that where new skills are acquired, attitudes also change as new possibilities are understood. As for automation anxiety, given the local authority cuts that have taken place in the last few years and the resulting increases in workload, people can see the benefits of having time freed up from routine, repetitive tasks to allow time for higher quality interactions to take place where these are needed.
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Free Thinking 1 - Innovation strategies in the public sector
Jun 23, 201900:30:53Tap to summarizeiHub is 80% externally funded, from sources like InnovateUK, Horizon2020 and the European Investment Bank. Only four posts are currently funded by OCC to run council activities like transport modeling, research to support policies, and business case development. Other-funded work is looking into things like solving the problems of rural transport provision (now that austerity has removed many bus subsidies), piloting use of council assets to provide 'mobility as a service', as well as projects around green energy, public health, drones, and more. The unit has developed provision of 'innovation' as a service to the rest of the council, helping service teams get to grips with the process of innovation so that they have the capabilities to carry forward projects once developed, by themselves. iHub also collaborates with Oxfordshire's universities and local industries to help identify and pilot innovations that can be taken up by the council or elsewhere, in an approach very much in line with the Government's Industrial Strategy. Working in collaboration with commercial brains and adopting a more commercial approach to innovation has been a new and instructive experience for the team. This programme and podcast is sponsored by Rapier Systems. Established in 2003, Rapier Systems designs, builds and manages Wireless Infrastructures for clients in the public, private and third sector. Customers range from hospitality to healthcare and aquaculture. An unwavering focus on wireless means we are trusted to manage Scotland's largest Metropolitan Area Network delivered entirely by Wireless and we are the most prolific provider of public realm Wi-Fi in the UK. Responsible for many industry firsts, including first use of true Gigabit Speed Microwave for the NHS in England and Wi-Fi at Sea for the renewable energy sector in Scotland
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Free Thinking 2 – people need training to be as 'human' as bots
Jun 23, 201900:29:56Tap to summarizeStaff picking up enquiries handed off from Monty, the Monmouthshire Council website chatbot, have needed training to ensure they put aside council speak and adopt the simple, text-friendly language these machines have learned to use. This was one of many interesting nuggets of information to emerge from the discussion stimulated by Monmouthshire's decision to open up a new customer service channel that allows customers to submit queries into the council website as text and receive automated answers rather than having to use navigation or search to get there. Some users clearly don't realise they are 'talking' to a machine. Many of the issues raised whenever 'bots' are discussed arise in this conversation: the threat to jobs, the benefits of freeing staff from answering questions like 'when's my bin day?' to handle more important and complex enquiries, instances when users prefer the anonymity of speaking to a machine, and the return on investment in this technology. Our panel agree that text and voice-based interaction is moving ahead rapidly for all customer-facing organisations and public services are no exception. Integration with existing systems is the big challenge. This programme is part of the Free Thinking series produced by CLGdotTV in association with Paul Tonks founding director of Tailor Made Projects Limited
Transcribe →Circular Economy Show 4 - Biomimicry, new questions for old answers
Jun 18, 201900:30:18Tap to summarizeDr David Greenfield asks materials designer Lucy Hughes and Richard MacCowan CEO Biomimicry UK all about design solutions that mimic the natural world. Nature's solutions often are more elegant and less wasteful of energy and resource than human solutions. 'Biomimicry' can offer a route to developing products, processes and structures that are less wasteful. The creative process can also start (but doesn't have to) by using natural materials already considered to be waste. Lucy Hughes describes how her award-winning product uses the bits of fish normally discarded and algae to make a biodegradable, single use, plastic film, that can be used in wrapping food as well as for other packaging applications. The advantages are clear but as our panel points out, our systems of waste management may not be ready for such products and they could easily end up in non-compostable bin bags and routed into landfill.
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Future of Work 4
Jun 16, 201900:24:53Tap to summarizeLeatham Green, Executive Director of the Public Services People Manager's Association (PPMA) in conversation with Fiona McAdoo Associate Director of Organisational Development at London Borough of Camden discussing how you find, nurture and keep "talent" in the public sector. Careers in HR & OD in the public sector can be challenging and rewarding. Persuading graduate recruits that this is the case is not easy. Fiona McAdoo has a wealth of experience and a passion for her job that has surprised even her. Leatham Green has years of experience in both the HR front line and in the PPMA the public sector professional HR association. Podcast sponsored by HammondClarke Recruitment
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