Protecting public services with trusted local expertise

Hart District Council has strengthened its working relationship with KHIPU, a Fleet-based cyber security and networking specialist, to help meet the council's growing security requirements. The partnership brings together the council's commitment to protecting local public services with the expertise of a trusted local business that understands the council's environment, priorities and community.

Through this collaboration, KHIPU is helping Hart District Council deliver resilient, 24x7 security monitoring that is difficult for a small local authority to provide in-house. By working with a company based in Fleet, the council is also reinforcing the value of local partnership by investing in specialist capability in our own communities while improving the ability to protect residents, services and data in an increasingly complex cyber threat landscape.

This security monitoring will be continuously watching for suspicious activity across the council's systems, identifying potential threats quickly and enabling a rapid response before issues can disrupt services or put data at risk.

Councillor Tony Clarke, Hart District Council Portfolio Holder for Digital and Communications, said: "Our partnership with KHIPU allows us to get the specialist cyber security support we need while also supporting expertise within our own district.

"Protecting council services and our residents' data is a key priority, and KHIPU's support is helping us meet those responsibilities in a practical, affordable and resilient way."

Matt Ashman, Chief Commercial Officer at KHIPU, said: "We are incredibly proud to strengthen our relationship with Hart District Council. As a business based in Fleet, working with our local authority is particularly meaningful. It perfectly demonstrates how investing in specialist capability close to home can drive regional economic development and retain high-value tech expertise within our district.

"Delivering 24x7 security monitoring to local councils is about more than just technology; it's about protecting residents, vital public services, and sensitive data. We look forward to expanding this partnership and continuing to work together to secure our shared community." ​​