The UKA Live Podcast

Doing planning differently: 2. All about product

Doing planning differently, pt 2 – MHCLG’s successful Open Digital Planning initiative has focused relentlessly on product and codesign. Why?
MHCLG’s Open Digital Planning (ODP) programme has gained significant traction in its bid to shape a more efficient, data-driven planning system and transform planning. One of the keys to its success has been a relentless focus on product and co-design.
UKA Live asked the team to tell us more: Matt Wood-Hill, service owner and Emily Hadley, senior product manager, at Open Digital Planning at MHCLG; and Stefan Webb, partner for place and infrastructure at delivery partner, TPXimpact.
What do we mean by ‘product’?
Why did you take this and a co-design approach?
How hard was it to reach a ‘minimum viable product’ agreement with so many stakeholders in the mix?
Can these products be rolled out across all local planning authorities?
In our final episode exploring ‘Doing planning differently’ we explore the thriving community engine that is powering the programme.
 
Further Info:
Learn more about Open Digital Planning: https://opendigitalplanning.org/
Follow developments on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/open-digital-planning
Contact the ODP team: digitalplanningteam@communities.gov.uk
Learn more about TPXimpact’s expertise in transforming place and infrastructure: https://www.tpximpact.com/place-and-infrastructure
Follow developments on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/tpximpact/

Audio: Doing Planning Differently - 2: All about product

Doing planning differently, pt 2 – MHCLG’s successful Open Digital Planning initiative has focused relentlessly on product and codesign. Why?
MHCLG’s Open Digital Planning (ODP) programme has gained significant traction in its bid to shape a more efficient, data-driven planning system and transform planning. One of the keys to its success has been a relentless focus on product and co-design.
UKA Live asked the team to tell us more: Matt Wood-Hill, service owner and Emily Hadley, senior product manager, at Open Digital Planning at MHCLG; and Stefan Webb, partner for place and infrastructure at delivery partner, TPXimpact.
What do we mean by ‘product’?
Why did you take this and a co-design approach?
How hard was it to reach a ‘minimum viable product’ agreement with so many stakeholders in the mix?
Can these products be rolled out across all local planning authorities?
In our final episode exploring ‘Doing planning differently’ we explore the thriving community engine that is powering the programme.
 
Further info:
Learn more about Open Digital Planning: https://opendigitalplanning.org/
Follow developments on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/open-digital-planning
Contact the ODP team: digitalplanningteam@communities.gov.uk
Learn more about TPXimpact’s expertise in transforming place and infrastructure: https://www.tpximpact.com/place-and-infrastructure
Follow developments on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/tpximpact/

Audio: Doing planning differently: 1. A vehicle for transformation

What has made MHCLG’s Open Digital Planning initiative so successful? And can that be replicated?
The Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government‘s (MHCLG) Open Digital Planning (ODP) programme has been enormously successful – not only building new digital products for the sector but a strong community of forward-thinking local planning authorities, working together to ‘do planning differently’.
In short, the goal is to shape a more efficient, data-driven planning system - transforming the planning process for the benefit of everyone.
UKA Live invited Matt Wood-Hill, service owner for Open Digital Planning at MHCLG and Stefan Webb, partner for place and infrastructure at delivery partner, TPXimpact, to tell us more about the key factors driving this success:
Where did the idea and ambition come from?
What has been achieved to date? And what is coming down the line?
Can this model can be harnessed in the transformation of services that cross traditional central / local boundaries?
In future episodes we will deep dive into the product mindset that has delivered products in quick succession and the thriving community of local planning authorities that enables real-time communication, problem solving and support.
Further info:
Learn more about Open Digital Planning: https://opendigitalplanning.org/
Follow developments on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/open-digital-planning
Contact the ODP team: digitalplanningteam@communities.gov.uk
Learn more about TPXimpact’s expertise in transforming place and infrastructure: https://www.tpximpact.com/place-and-infrastructure
Follow developments on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/tpximpact/

Doing planning differently: 1. A vehicle for transformation

What has made MHCLG’s Open Digital Planning initiative so successful? And can that be replicated?
The Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government‘s (MHCLG) Open Digital Planning (ODP) programme has been enormously successful – not only building new digital products for the sector but a strong community of forward-thinking local planning authorities, working together to ‘do planning differently’.
In short, the goal is to shape a more efficient, data-driven planning system - transforming the planning process for the benefit of everyone.
UKA Live invited Matt Wood-Hill, service owner for Open Digital Planning at MHCLG and Stefan Webb, partner for place and infrastructure at delivery partner, TPXimpact, to tell us more about the key factors driving this success:
Where did the idea and ambition come from?
What has been achieved to date? And what is coming down the line?
Can this model can be harnessed in the transformation of services that cross traditional central / local boundaries?
In future episodes we will deep dive into the product mindset that has delivered products in quick succession and the thriving community of local planning authorities that enables real-time communication, problem solving and support.
Further info:
Learn more about Open Digital Planning: https://opendigitalplanning.org/
Follow developments on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/open-digital-planning
Contact the ODP team: digitalplanningteam@communities.gov.uk
Learn more about TPXimpact’s expertise in transforming place and infrastructure: https://www.tpximpact.com/place-and-infrastructure
Follow developments on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/tpximpact/

MHCLG's CAF for local government

Katie Owen, Cyber Assessment Framework Service Owner, MHCLG talks to UKA Live about the Cyber Assessment Framework (CAF) for local government
The entire public sector is under constant cyber-attack by ‘bad actors’ – from nation state to cyber criminal - and the National Cyber Security Centre works hard to produce advice and guidance to help organisations assess cyber resilience. Its Cyber Assessment Framework is regarded as the gold standard against which to measure - and improve - preparedness to repel such attackers.
But every sector has its own unique quirks, and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) has worked with local government to create a bespoke local government version. Why is this important?
I asked Katie Owen, Cyber Assessment Framework Service Owner at MHCLG to tell me more:
What is the scale of the risk to local government - and citizen data - today?
What is LG-CAF? And why do we need it?
How does it help enable digital transformation?
Will it ever be mandatory for local gov?
Will other parts of the public sector (eg DWP and the NHS) accept the CAF as ‘the standard’ in terms of assessments? Will there ever be ‘One CAF to rule them all?
Further info:
www.localdigital.gov.uk/cyber/cyber-assessment-framework-for-local-government/
mhclgdigital.blog.gov.uk/2025/01/29/norfolk-county-councils-experience-with-the-cyber-assessment-framework-for-local-government/
www.localdigital.gov.uk/hear-from-maldon-district-council-on-their-experience-with-the-caf-for-local-government/
www.localdigital.gov.uk/hart-district-councils-experience-with-the-caf-for-local-government/

Audio: MHCLG's CAF for local government

Katie Owen, Cyber Assessment Framework Service Owner, MHCLG talks to UKA Live about the Cyber Assessment Framework (CAF) for local government
The entire public sector is under constant cyber-attack by ‘bad actors’ – from nation state to cyber criminal - and the National Cyber Security Centre works hard to produce advice and guidance to help organisations assess cyber resilience. Its Cyber Assessment Framework is regarded as the gold standard against which to measure - and improve - preparedness to repel such attackers.
But every sector has its own unique quirks, and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) has worked with local government to create a bespoke local government version. Why is this important?
I asked Katie Owen, Cyber Assessment Framework Service Owner at MHCLG to tell me more:
What is the scale of the risk to local government - and citizen data - today?
What is LG-CAF? And why do we need it?
How does it help enable digital transformation?
Will it ever be mandatory for local gov?
Will other parts of the public sector (eg DWP and the NHS) accept the CAF as ‘the standard’ in terms of assessments? Will there ever be ‘One CAF to rule them all?
Further info:
www.localdigital.gov.uk/cyber/cyber-assessment-framework-for-local-government/
mhclgdigital.blog.gov.uk/2025/01/29/norfolk-county-councils-experience-with-the-cyber-assessment-framework-for-local-government/
www.localdigital.gov.uk/hear-from-maldon-district-council-on-their-experience-with-the-caf-for-local-government/
www.localdigital.gov.uk/hart-district-councils-experience-with-the-caf-for-local-government/

Audio: Digital Centre of Government - Service Transformation

Interview with Feryal Clark, Minister for AI and Digital Government
Mid-January 2025 the new 'Digital Centre of Government' at the heart of Department for Innovation, Science and Technology was unveiled - and promptly named the Government Digital Service. So an old, familiar, name but widened focus and impetus, bringing in all the digital, data and tech specialist units such as the Central Digital & Data Office, the Geospatial Commission and the Incubator for AI. UKAuthority was particularly interested in the renewed goal of joining up services around citizen's needs rather than departmental silos.
So I invited Feryal Clark to to tell us more:
There have been many initiatives over the years to stop the frustration of non-joined up services – what is different now: New Data Bill? Advances in technology?
New Service Teams will focus on joining up key systems across new priority services – what is the drive behind this? Where are they focusing first?
Which of the raft of initiatives will have most impact on citizens' lives? Mandating APIs? New data legislation? Use of AI? GOV.UK Wallet?

Digital Centre of Government - Service Transformation

Interview with Feryal Clark, Minister for AI and Digital Government
Mid-January 2025 the new 'Digital Centre of Government' at the heart of Department for Innovation, Science and Technology was unveiled - and promptly named the Government Digital Service. So an old, familiar, name but widened focus and impetus, bringing in all the digital, data and tech specialist units such as the Central Digital & Data Office, the Geospatial Commission and the Incubator for AI. UKAuthority was particularly interested in the renewed goal of joining up services around citizen's needs rather than departmental silos.
So I invited Feryal Clark to to tell us more:
There have been many initiatives over the years to stop the frustration of non-joined up services – what is different now: New Data Bill? Advances in technology?
New Service Teams will focus on joining up key systems across new priority services – what is the drive behind this? Where are they focusing first?
Which of the raft of initiatives will have most impact on citizens' lives? Mandating APIs? New data legislation? Use of AI? GOV.UK Wallet?