Recent figures have revealed a troubling reality: only two of Gloucestershire’s 55 County Councillors have completed their assigned cyber security training. Shire Hall, which provides cyber security training to all its elected members and staff, faces growing criticism over these low engagement levels.
A Freedom of Information request submitted by GloucestershireLive uncovered that while four other councillors have partially completed their training, the vast majority have not participated. This is particularly alarming considering the backdrop of Gloucestershire’s cybersecurity landscape.
The council employs over 4,000 staff members who undergo regular monthly cyber security training. However, completion rates among staff have also fallen dramatically, from a peak of 87 percent in January last year to just 43 percent as of December.
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This downturn in training engagement has been met with disbelief, especially given Gloucestershire’s unique position as home to the UK’s National Cyber Security Centre, located at GCHQ in Cheltenham. Moreover, the neighbouring Gloucester City Council is still recovering from the fallout of a cyber attack in 2021, underscoring the very real risks the region faces.
An anonymous councillor described the figures as “frightening” and “beyond alarming.” They emphasized, “Considering the serious cyber threats today, and the council’s responsibility managing a significant budget for 660,000 residents, it is unacceptable that elected officials are lagging behind.”
They continued, “Cyber attacks are relentless and target the weakest point—often the people. It’s critical that councillors lead by example and complete their cyber security training. This should never be optional.”
In response, Gloucestershire County Council stated that its democratic services team has sent reminders to elected members encouraging completion of these voluntary e-learning sessions. They anticipate that training participation will improve accordingly.
Official records estimate that about 69.5 percent of the cyber security training assigned to staff has now been completed. Yet, given the persistent nature of cyber threats, many urge more rigorous measures.
The National Cyber Security Centre’s latest annual review stresses the ongoing risks posed by state-sponsored actors from countries such as China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea. They highlight that cyber security must be a foundational element of operational resilience for every organization.
Adding to the focus on cyber defense, Defence Minister Luke Pollard recently announced a £279 million investment in cutting-edge facilities for the Army’s cyber regiment at the Duke of Gloucester Barracks near Cirencester. Pollard underscored the urgency of cyber security challenges, revealing that over the past two years, the UK’s defense systems have faced 90,000 cyber attacks.
“We live in a new era of threats,” Pollard said. “Every day, adversaries attempt to breach our secure systems. It’s a constant battle in the digital domain.”
As cyber threats escalate and significant investments are made to strengthen national defenses, Gloucestershire’s low cyber security training completion rates among councillors and staff remain a stark vulnerability demanding urgent attention.