The Deputy Chief Executive submitted a report presenting the Council’s Information Management Strategy and Action Plan to deliver better value from data and to ensure that the Council remained compliant with legal requirements for the processing of data.  The Information Management Strategy was attached to the report at Appendix 1 and an Action Plan was attached at Appendix 2.

The report noted that across the Council information assets were used to achieve various objectives such as delivering services, formulating policy, managing projects or managing staff.  Without an overarching Information Management Strategy, information systems were often not connected and possibly with duplications of data as they had evolved to respond to specific needs without being considered together as an asset.  In addition, many services were now delivered in partnership or were commissioned from third parties; this required additional safeguards to ensure that information ownership was clear, the right people had appropriate access to the right information, and that it was handled correctly throughout its lifecycle.  The Council was increasingly becoming an organisation driven by data insights and the Information Management Strategy would support the Connected Reading Digital Transformation Strategy and the Customer Experience Strategy.

The proposed Information Management Strategy, attached to the report at Appendix 1, set out the Council’s approach to improving the way information was created, used, managed, shared and protected to achieve the Council’s objectives and effective partnership working.  The report summarised the benefits to residents, staff and the Council of managing information and data well.  The associated Action Plan was attached to the report at Appendix 2 and it was intended that quarterly progress reports on delivery would be submitted to the Audit and Governance Committee.  The measures suggested as the basis for reporting to Audit and Governance Committee were highlighted in the Action Plan appendix.  An annual report would also be provided to Policy Committee on any changes required to the Strategy and progress against the action plan.

Resolved –

(1)      That the Information Management Strategy and Action Plan be endorsed;

(2)      That updates on the progress of the Action Plan be presented to Audit and Governance Committee on a quarterly basis.