Blaby District Council
Blaby District Council secures its future with our managed security service, Phoenix Protect – Active Response.
Blaby District Council, based in Leicestershire, delivers vital public services to its community, from planning applications to housing services and bin collections. With around 400 employees and a lean ICT team, the council depends on secure, reliable systems to protect sensitive data and maintain service continuity.
Historically, Blaby was part of the Leicestershire ICT Partnership (LICTP), a shared service model in which numerous local authorities collaborated to manage and develop their own ICT services. However, in pursuit of greater control and improved service quality, the council decided to bring its IT operations in-house. This bold move required the council to build a modern ICT infrastructure from the ground up, including cloud platforms, networking, and security. While this new model would give the council greater control, it also introduced a critical challenge; how to maintain enterprise-grade security with fewer internal resources.
Key facts
- Sector: Local Government
- Staff supported: ~400
- ICT team size: 7-8
- Devices: End-user laptops, work phones, MFDs
- Solution: Phoenix Protect – Active Response
Cyber security was the council’s top concern. Local authorities are prime targets for ransomware, phishing, and advanced persistent threats. As a member of the LICTP, Blaby’s infrastructure was maintained by a 25-person shared ICT team. After the transition, Blaby’s 7–8 person ICT team needed a solution that could deliver:
- Continuous threat monitoring and rapid response without adding headcount
- Protection against sophisticated attacks like ransomware and credential theft
- Scalability to support future infrastructure growth
As the council built its new ICT environment, it became clear that outsourcing security operations to a trusted partner was essential. Blaby needed a solution that could provide continuous monitoring and rapid response without overburdening its small ICT team.
Blaby District Council partnered with Phoenix to deliver its Phoenix Protect Managed Service, a comprehensive Security Operations Centre (SOC) solution for 24/ 7 monitoring, detection, and response.
Key features of the solution include:
- Round-the-clock threat containment, ensuring protection even outside business hours
- Integration with Azure and council systems to provide full visibility across endpoints and networks
- Scalable architecture that can grow as Blaby’s infrastructure evolves
- Proactive risk management. Regular technical updates and reviews with Phoenix’s security experts keep the council’s security posture strong
The SOC went live in April 2025, ahead of the council’s wider ICT service launch in July. Phoenix’s ability to meet all requirements and deliver a scalable solution made them the clear choice.
Benefits (outcomes)
The Phoenix Protect Managed Service has delivered significant security gains:
With the SOC providing 24/ 7 threat containment for all of the council’s devices, the ICT team can relax in the evening knowing its devices and services are continually monitored and protected. “It’s a service that lets us sleep at night” says James Hickens, ICT Operations Manager at Blaby District Council.
The SOC is always monitoring for threats and will lock down devices the moment suspicious activity is detected. One such example is when the SOC detected and neutralised a Scattered Spider ransomware attempt via a PDF converter. When the SOC found a number of instances of this software it was able to remove it from council devices, averting what could have potentially been a significant data theft or ransom attempt.
In addition to the proactive monitoring of the council’s network and devices, Phoenix also conducts monthly meetings with the Blaby ICT team to provide updates on current risks, review some of the alerts that were generated by the SOC, and conduct a broader review of the security implications of the council’s other ICT projects and activities. The council also benefits from regular vulnerability updates, which further reduce its risk exposure.
With Phoenix handling 24/ 7 monitoring, the ICT team can focus on strategic projects.
The SOC scales with Blaby’s infrastructure, supporting long-term resilience.
See how you can benefit from Phoenix Protect – Active Response
Discover how Phoenix’s managed security service – Phoenix Protect – Active Response can deliver 24/7 security tailored to your needs. Contact us today to learn more.