UK councils given £1.5m to boost cyber security

UK councils will improve and enhance the cyber security of their systems thanks to £1.5 million of funding from the Local Government Association (LGA).

The cash will be used to conduct a stocktake of existing cyber security arrangements within all councils in England.

It will help establish good practice among councils, assess how learning can be shared with other local authorities and identify councils that could benefit from additional support.

The funding is for the 2018/19 period, with an opportunity to bid for further funding following in the autumn.

Councils hold large amounts of data about their residents online, which is one of the reasons behind the new funding, explained councillor Paul Bettison, chairman of the LGA’s improvement and innovation board.

He commented: “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.

“This funding will be used by the LGA to help councils strengthen their ability to mitigate against cyber threats.”

Visit https://www.local.gov.uk/our-support/efficiency-and-income-generation/cyber-security/lga-and-cyber-security to find out more on the LGA and cyber security.