As we progress through the 2026-27 financial year, the landscape across local government, health and the wider public sector continues to evolve rapidly. From tightening budgetary pressures to sophisticated cyber threats and shifting citizen expectations, our sector relies heavily on continuous transformation, secure operations and collaborative networks.
At iNetwork, our mission remains focused on supporting you, our members through these complex challenges. We are pleased to outline the core priorities for our three flagship programmes over the coming year.
Following discussions earlier this year with the Network Leadership Groups, we have formally agreed on the programme’s priorities. While the overarching programme priorities of our Transforming & Innovating Public Services (TIPS) and Connected Procurement & Commissioning (CPC) programmes remain the same, we have updated the priorities for the Effective Information Sharing & Security (EISS) programme to better reflect the specific challenges facing our members today. Here is what you can expect from each programme in 2026-27.
Transforming and Innovating Public Services (TIPS)
The overarching priorities for the programme remain focused on helping public bodies deliver efficiencies while maintaining resilient, high-quality and community-centered services. As public services navigate financial and digital transitions, the TIPS programme will continue to showcase place-based solutions and facilitate best-practice sharing across:
- Communities, People & Place: This priority underscores our commitment to fostering sustainable, equitable, place-based approaches in public service delivery, ensuring appropriate levels of support for both citizens and staff.
- Digital and Data: This priority is dedicated to empowering members to harness the potential of digital systems and well-managed data to drive informed decision-making and enhance service delivery to improve the customer journey.
Through upcoming roundtables, learning sessions and interactive seminars, TIPS will continue to provide a space for digital managers and transformation leaders to openly discuss what works, what doesn’t and how to drive continuous improvement.
Connected Procurement and Commissioning (CPC)
Similarly, the core strategic direction for this programme remains unchanged this year. Innovative procurement and contract management are vital to driving public value and the CPC programme will continue to support partners in strengthening commercial practices. Our focus continues to center around:
- Effective Co-Commissioning and Procurement Innovation: This priority focuses on supporting procurers and commissioners to jointly commission more effectively and maximise on opportunities for new approaches to procurement and collaboration to drive savings.
- Tackling Policy Outcomes Important to the Public Sector: This priority aims to champion strategic policy objectives of the public sector through improved procurement and commissioning practices. These include, embedding social value to support inclusive and sustainable growth, addressing poverty, inequality and modern slavery, building resilient local economies and promoting sustainability within the supply chain with a focus on carbon reduction and Net Zero.
The CPC Network Leadership Group will continue to host touchpoint meetings and peer support group sessions to ensure your commercial and commissioning practices achieve the best possible outcomes for your local communities.
Effective Information Sharing & Security (EISS)
With cyber threats rising and public sector data sharing growing more complex, this programme has slightly refreshed its wording and focus for 2026-27 to target three clear, interconnected priorities:
- Information Leadership: This priority focuses on bolstering information leadership at all levels, upskilling Senior Information Risk Owners (SIROs), Information Asset Owners (IAOs), Data Protection Officers (DPOs) and broader leadership teams to lead confidently on good information practice.
- Improving Cyber Security and Resilience: This priority centers on helping member organisations adopt robust security standards, reduce cyber risk and strengthen business continuity and recovery plans.
- Improved Necessary and Proportionate Information Sharing to Support Effective Partnership Working and Person-Centered Care: Our updated focus ensures that data sharing between local authorities, health partners and emergency services is managed securely, lawfully and transparently. By enabling necessary and proportionate information sharing, we can directly support integrated partnership working and deliver better, safer, person-centered care.
The strength of the iNetwork community has always been its openness and the willingness of our members to collaborate. By aligning our 2026-27 programming with these clear priorities, we aim to equip your teams with the practical tools, peer support networks and frameworks needed to navigate the year ahead successfully.
Keep an eye out for our upcoming events, including our Annual iNetwork Conference which will be held on Tuesday 10th November 2026 and remember that tickets for all core programme events remain free to iNetwork members.
Check out our latest events here and email iNetwork@Tameside.gov.uk to get in contact with the team.