Scarborough set to become 'national centre of excellence' for cyber security

The plans, which include spending £140,000 of council funds and accepting a £97,000 grant from Anglo American, hope to establish Scarborough and the Yorkshire coast as a “national centre of excellence for cyber security with a specialist focus on operational technology”.

Authority to “enter into contract with the successful bidders” from the invitations to tender regarding the project was also granted to the authority’s interim director of regeneration.

The Cyber Security Cluster Strategy was approved by the council’s cabinet member for inclusive growth, Coun Liz Colling, on Friday September 30.

The £237,000 pilot project aims to be completed by the end of March next year when local government reorganisation will see borough councils replaced by a new North Yorkshire Council.

A report published by Scarborough Council states that the project will be built around “a network approach” that will draw on physical buildings including Scarborough’s proposed FabLab+ facility which “will have a pivotal role in providing a focus for activity in the medium term”.

The FabLab+ project is part of the council’s levelling up and “gateway” redevelopment plans for demolishing the former Comet building and creating new town centre digital workspaces.

Aims for the March deadline include engaging with around 120 individuals and organisations on increasing cyber security awareness, training initiatives designed to increase understanding of career opportunities, and creating a “real-world” science challenge, posed by a local business, for groups of individuals to design an operational technology solution.

They also include supporting around 25 SMEs to “implement the steps needed to protect their business and customers from the most common cyber attacks”, a six-month paid work placement opportunity for at least two people interested in a cyber-related career, and introducing young people “to the fast-paced world of cyber security”.

In developing the pilot scheme, the council has worked with the Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ), Coventry University Scarborough, and Anglo American which has a major mining project south of Whitby.

A council report on the project states that cyber-attacks are becoming increasingly frequent across the world, adding that “the expansion of the UK’s investment in offensive cyber operations creates new opportunities”.

Earlier this year Scarborough Council’s head of ICT reported that the authority is targeted by hundreds of cyber attack attempts on “a daily basis”.

Scarborough Council hopes that the Cyber Security Cluster Strategy will create “new opportunities, products, services and solutions to new and existing business” and provide “new, innovative, and in demand cyber security skills”.

There is currently no cyber security cluster on England’s eastern coast and the pilot scheme aims to focus on “operational technology” in particular.

The council report states: “The pilot programme will establish a baseline of activity and provide the research necessary to inform future proposals for incorporation within the York and North Yorkshire devolution plan.”