So a bit of a first for me coming to a conference semi-officially to blog it rather than participate and tweet as a form of stress relief. Although that has meant spending all day in a suit AND a tie to try and fit in with the local government crowd, something I’m less and less comfortable with but does mean I fly under the radar quite nicely with so few in the sector on Twitter!

In what I think is the first move of its kind in UK local government (although please correct me if I’m wrong!), from today I will be taking on the role of Social Media Manager at the London Borough of Barnet. Initially on a two day a week six month basis, I am joining the Communications and Consultation Team to scope out and implement the council’s Social Media Strategy.

Over coming months, this section will be dedicated to conversations with leading figures in the public, private and voluntary sectors about the future direction of local government, the demands that are likely to be placed on it in coming years and how it will work with its partners and customers to change the way it works to better meet the needs of the people it serves.

As a quick follow up to my last post on the future of London government, I thought I would share a video made available today by the London Borough of Barnet on YouTube (quite an innovation in itself I say!).