The Local Government Association has been awarded £1.5m from the Cabinet Office for cyber security work. The LGA will carry out a “stocktake” of cyber security arrangements at councils in England. The LGA says this will help establish good practice and look at how this can be shared with other councils, as well as identifying those councils that could benefit from support.
As the LGA says, as business is being done online, councils hold large amounts of data about their residents. Hence the funding is for the 2018/19 year, with an opportunity to bid for more in the autumn.
Chairman of the LGA’s Improvement and Innovation Board, Councillor Paul Bettison, said: “Councils take cyber security extremely seriously, but as we have seen through recent attacks, there is a constant need to review and bolster cyber security defences where appropriate. Councils hold significant amounts of sensitive data which is why it is hugely important that we have the necessary protections in place. This funding will be used by the LGA to help councils share best practice and strengthen their ability to mitigate against cyber threats.”
For more visit the LGA website.
