Digital services | LocalGov

Confidential info published by hackers

05/04/2024

Confidential documents stolen during a cyber attack last month have been published online, a Leicester City Council spokesperson has confirmed.

Thinking of integrating AI into your council?

03/04/2024

Robin Denton, director of local government, Microsoft UK sets out what you need to know.

Campaign to raise data and safeguarding awareness launched

01/02/2024

Local authorities and social service providers have been urged to do more to raise awareness about responsible data sharing to protect children from harm.

Kent councils hit by cyber incidents

19/01/2024

Canterbury City Council and Dover and Thanet district councils have all issued reports of cyber incidents.

Tackling cyber vulnerabilities

08/01/2024

James Young, CTO at Cantium Business Solutions, discusses how vulnerability management can play an important part in managing cyber security risk.

Half of workers unsure their council can avoid bankruptcy

08/01/2024

Around 50% of local government workers are ‘unsure’ or ‘unconfident’ that their organisation is financially sustainable, a new study has revealed.

Tackling fraud in the public sector: how can central government support local authorities?

08/11/2023

Colin Gray, principal fraud consultant at SAS UK, explains the current perceived risks from citizens around fraud, and how public sector bodies can deploy technology to counteract it and protect public finances.

£1.3m smart streetlamp pilot launched

20/09/2023

Six areas across the UK have been awarded funding to test smart streetlamps that can charge electric vehicles (EVs) and boost wireless coverage.

How citizens hold the key to decarbonising Britain

18/09/2023

Jonathan Bradley, head of Business and Practice at Granicus Experience Group (GXG) UK, argues that citizens hold the key to decarbonising Britain.

Local authorities and the AI revolution

24/08/2023

Stephen Almond, Information Commissioner’s Office, discusses what councils have to consider when it comes to artificial intelligence (AI).

Time to connect to customers through connected systems

18/07/2023

Jake Gardiner, Odigo, argues that better inter-organisational collaboration is needed to ensure citizens receive the quality service they deserve.

Older people struggling to apply for Blue Badges, charity warns

29/06/2023

Councils need to do more to help older people who might not be ‘computer savvy’ apply for Blue Badges and access other digital services, charity says.

Russian hackers accessed private data, council says

08/06/2023

Gloucester City Council has warned residents that some personal information may have been stolen by Russian hackers.

NHS volunteer programme expanded into social care

07/06/2023

The NHS Volunteer Responders Programme is set to be expanded to help the struggling social care system, the Government has announced.

London Borough of Redbridge adopts user-centred online housing repairs service

05/06/2023

The London Borough of Redbridge has adopted a user-centred online housing repairs service, supplied by Made Tech, a leading provider of digital services.

Why co-production is key to digitally inclusive services

30/05/2023

Georgina Walton, Adult Social Care, Kent County Council discusses the local authority’s EMPOWERCARE project and its mission to overcome digital exclusion.

Strategy to deliver ‘joined-up digital inclusion’ launched

22/05/2023

A campaign group has launched a ‘unique and revolutionary strategy’ linking government, industry leaders and community organisations to tackle digital poverty.

Guidance to support social care digitisation published

18/05/2023

The Government has published new guidance to help local authorities and care providers develop digital skills and drive digital transformation.

Guide to protect ‘smart cities’ from hackers published

16/05/2023

The Department for Science, Innovation, and Technology (DSIT) has published a new guide to help councils keep ‘smart cities’ safe from cyber threats.

Councils warn of ‘broadband slow lane’

12/05/2023

Poorer households are being left behind in a ‘broadband slow lane’ despite relying more heavily on the internet, local government leaders have warned.

Majority of senior managers admit outdated cybersecurity

04/05/2023

Almost two thirds of senior managers in councils across the UK admit that their cybersecurity approach is outdated.

Health & care transformation: What do we need to consider?

25/04/2023

Gavin Bashar, UK & Ireland MD of Tunstall Healthcare, shares his thoughts on the digital transformation of the health and care sectors.

New North Yorkshire Council bans TikTok

13/04/2023

North Yorkshire Council has banned the use of TikTok on council devices due to digital security concerns.

The coming digital shift

29/03/2023

Robert Turnbull, PA Consulting, and Alyson Scurfield, TEC Services Association, argue that the telephone network upgrade will be an opportunity for councils.

'We can beat inflation with outdated spreadsheets,' said no council ever

29/03/2023

Digital transformation isn’t something councils can put off, argues TechnologyOne. It is essential to help them cope with inflation and other challenges.

Small minority of councils use digital care services, poll reveals

28/03/2023

Only a handful of councils are making full use of digital technology to provide personalised care in people’s homes, according to a group of organisations.

Opening the doors to digital in Dorset

24/03/2023

Steven March, Housing Standards, Dorset County Council explains how the local authority improved the energy efficiency levels in properties across the county.

Plan to improve care sector’s cyber resilience unveiled

22/03/2023

The Government has unveiled plans to protect the NHS and the social care sector against cyberattacks.

Effective monitoring of safeguarding

20/03/2023

John Wild, managing director at CPOMS, explores the role and importance of safeguarding software in aiding multi-agency collaboration.

Digitisation must not lead to ‘two-tier society’, auditor says

09/03/2023

Spending on internet infrastructure must be balanced with measures to prevent creating a two-tier society when it comes to services, Welsh government says.

Digital trends in local government

15/02/2023

Alexandra Murphy of Socitm looks at the digital trends in local government today and notes a quiet optimism at the heart of the sector.

Councils still vulnerable to online attacks, MPs told

06/02/2023

Councils must get together with insurers to work out how to protect themselves against the risk of cyber attacks, a leading security expert has warned.

Why councils should worry about digital exclusion

27/01/2023

Abigail Wood, CEO of Age UK London, urges local authorities to address the profound challenges of digital exclusion for older people.

Austerity 2.0: digital public services in tough times

19/01/2023

Ainga Pillai, CEO of Zaizi, looks at how councils can improve digital public services when money is tight.

Three metrics councils should be measuring to improve website reliability

12/12/2022

Gav Winter, CEO of RapidSpike, believes everyone has the right to a reliable online experience, and outlines how councils can provide a great user experience.

Virtru data protection solutions approved for G-Cloud 13 Framework

26/09/2022

UK public sector organisations can now procure Virtru’s proven Zero Trust data encryption solutions for secure communications and increased productivity.

Equality regulator to monitor racist AI

01/09/2022

Equality regulator is set to start monitoring the use of artificial intelligence (AI) by councils to ensure technologies are not discriminating against people.

Partners come together to make sure nobody is left behind in the digital world

20/07/2022

Cllr Glynis Phillips explains how councils and partners in Oxfordshire have been supporting significant parts of the population who’ve been left behind in the digital revolution.

New framework to support local government digitalisation launched

06/07/2022

Council leaders have partnered with technology experts to launch a joint new framework for improving and supporting local government digitalisation programmes.

Javid announces £25m for social care digitisation

13/06/2022

The social care sector is to benefit from a £25m investment aimed at increasing the rate that social care records are digitised.

New reporting system for housing repairs launched for council tenants

19/05/2022

City of Lincoln Council has launched a new digital service to make it more convenient for tenants to report their housing repair needs.

First Welsh council joins digital Local Land Charges register

19/05/2022

Swansea has become the first Welsh local authority to move its local land charges to a digital register.

The benefits of syncing with One Login

26/04/2022

Could syncing with One Login be the key to delivering digital success for local government? Sascha Giese reports.

Javid tells care providers digital records ‘basic responsibility’

24/03/2022

Digital records are a ‘basic responsibility’, health secretary Sajid Javid says as he announces 80% of care providers will have digital care records by 2024.

It’s time to digitally transform planning in the UK

22/03/2022

Glen Ocskó explains why digitising the planning system would increase accessibility and transparency.

A further 28 projects share funding to modernise planning system

22/03/2022

Over 30 councils have received funding to use digital technology to make the planning system more open and accessible.

Westminster council launches multiservice digital card

17/03/2022

Residents in the London Borough of Westminster are to be offered a digital card to help them access a range of local authority services, the city council has announced.

'The citizen experience hub'

15/03/2022

Gary Bennett explores how personalisation can change local government contact centres.

Getting to grips with HBAAI

22/02/2022

Steven Rybaruk explains how intelligent case selection can lighten the load for councils.

Citizen expectations for local authority reporting services revealed

21/02/2022

More transparency and fewer apps top requirements from citizens for local authority reporting services, new research from citizen-centred digital services provider SocietyWorks reveals.

Citizen expectations for local authority reporting services revealed

18/02/2022

More transparency and fewer apps top requirements from citizens for local authority reporting services, new research from citizen-centred digital services provider SocietyWorks reveals.

Building a better user experience in local government starts with authentication

04/02/2022

Harry Scott-Trimble explains how councils can improve, and in some cases remove, authentication processes to create a better user experience for all.

Majority of councils not taking ‘open approach’ to digital services

02/02/2022

Over three-quarters of local authorities across the UK do not use standard Government technology components when designing their digital services, FOI finds.

What you want versus what you need: a guide to service design for councils

16/08/2021

Coca Rivas, director of design at dxw, provides a guide to service design for councils.

Three councils to test simplified planning apps

01/07/2021

Three councils have designed and are now testing two apps designed to speed up planning applications for housing extensions.

Public services to public communication

11/06/2021

Paul Johnston and Leyla Delcorde explain why the pandemic has led to a new era of engaging citizens.

Navigating local government reorganisation - smoothing service integration

09/06/2021

Steve White looks at how councils can best navigate the complex issues around local government reorganisation and IT.

Datagraphic: "Document automation the key to hybrid working"

23/04/2021

According to leading UK provider of secure end-to-end document automation solutions, Datagraphic, payroll was one of operations that needed to adapt most quickly during the pandemic.

Falkirk first Scottish council to safeguard digital telecare

23/04/2021

Falkirk Council has become the first local authority in Scotland to launch an end-to-end digital telecare service.

Commission calls on councils to improve digital services for social care

23/03/2021

Not enough local authorities or care providers are using the available technology within social care to keep people safe at home, a new study finds.

Why councils should embrace electronic ID verification

17/11/2020

Barley Laing argues that electronic ID verification is crucial as the pandemic drives digitalisation.

Research shows just over a tenth of councils have fully digitalised all citizen records

16/11/2020

Only 11% of local authorities have fully digitalised all of their citizen records, new research has revealed.

Digital secretary announces £2.6m data sharing project

09/09/2020

The Government today launched a National Data Strategy, which includes a new multi-million pound project to address barriers to data sharing.

Ministers urge councils to help ‘boost’ digital connectivity

27/08/2020

Government ministers have today written to local authorities setting out how they can help boost gigabit broadband rollout and 5G mobile coverage.

Unlocking the opportunity to transform children and young people services

19/08/2020

Hannah Saunders and Fiona Gold say now is the time to act and transform children and young people services.

Lesson learned: Digitalization efforts help prepare for the unexpected

06/07/2020

Lindsay Pica-Alfano calls on local government to move forward with digitalization efforts.

Designing digital services for future citizens

03/07/2020

Dave Mann argues that trust, transparency and usability will be key to creating good digital public services in a new world.

Council secures funding to tackle digital exclusion

11/03/2020

Stockport Council has been awarded £50,000 to extend digital inclusion support to local residents.

Councils adopt AI solutions to save £195m

09/03/2020

A national survey has revealed that local authorities expect to save over £195m in 2020 by introducing artificial intelligence (AI) technology techniques.

Councils to receive share of £4.5m to roll out digital social care projects

11/02/2020

Sixteen organisations that provide adult social care services are to receive a share of £4.5m to enable them to roll out digital projects on a wider scale.

Scottish residents ‘excited’ about digitisation

03/12/2019

Eight in 10 Scottish citizens believe their local councils should embrace a wider range of digital technologies, a poll has revealed.

Council-led digital projects get £500,000 boost

31/10/2019

Seven council-led digital technology projects are set to receive grants of up to £100,000, according to the Government.

Hull aims to be ‘one of smartest cities in the world’ with new partnership

14/10/2019

A new partnership between Hull CC and smart city operator Connexin is set to put Hull among ‘the world leaders in smart city technology’, council says.

Direct messaging service to save taxpayers £175m

26/09/2019

The Government says its messaging service is set to save taxpayers an average of £35m a year over the next five years.

Councils ‘best placed’ to understand digital needs of local areas

18/09/2019

The Local Government Association says councils have a central role to play in making sure people in rural areas have access to the fastest broadband services.

How to comply with the UK’s new public sector web accessibility laws

17/09/2019

Ross Linnett, founder and CEO of Recite Me, looks at the UK’s new public sector web accessibility laws.

Greater Manchester to invest over £14m in ‘digital transformation'

29/08/2019

Greater Manchester is set to see £14.3m invested into digital transformation which aims to allow the safe and secure sharing of health-related information.

Digital public services that deliver

23/08/2019

Nick Pike explores the challenges facing chief digital officer in driving forward Local Digital Declarations.

Councils urged to apply for £7.5m digital innovation fund

19/08/2019

The Government has invited local authorities to apply for funding to help explore how digital technology can boost frontline services.

Digital leadership and social value ecosystems

02/08/2019

Philip Baulch explores the role of the digital leader in driving culture change.

A platform-first approach

09/07/2019

Craig White, business development director at Arcus Global, looks at digital transformation across the local government sector.

Bringing efficiencies to the new Blue Badge digital service process

16/04/2019

With the Department for Transport’s new Blue Badge digital process now live, Hannah Buckley talks through the council’s strategy and transformative approach in responding to the challenges and timeframes.

Councils given over £1m for chatbots

10/12/2018

Local authorities will be given almost £1.3m to investigate how digital technology such as chatbots, artificial intelligence and websites can improve services.

Get set for a mobile workplace

23/11/2018

Keiron Salt looks at the key digital possibilities and enablers for health and care starting with the potential of mobile computing and communication.

Matching digital ambitions to community outcomes

26/07/2018

Scotland is working to an ambitious digital agenda in the public sector. To reach more sparsely populated areas with the same range and depth of services as urban areas, Scotland needs to make the most of its connections, and use them in smarter ways. Simon Haston reports.

Local councils urged to bid for EU wi-fi funding before Brexit

22/05/2018

Town and city councils are being urged to bid for an EU grant to install public wi-fi before Brexit comes into effect.

Councils welcome open source library for digital services

16/05/2018

Local authorities have welcomed a new open source library which will help them share digital services.

£1m social care digital fund announced

14/05/2018

Councils who come up with innovative uses of digital technology in the delivery of adult social care will be able to apply for a share of a new £1m fund.

Attend the launch of a new digital platform for local government

09/04/2018

Join Pythagoras for the launch of a new digital platform transforming citizen services within local government on Wednesday 18th April at The Shard in London.

Digital business models could save public sector £46bn, think tank argues

28/03/2018

A reduction of duplicated administrative processes and adoption of digital business models could save the public sector billions per year, think tank claims.

NHS Digital awards £1.4m to tackle delayed transfers of care

27/03/2018

NHS Digital have awarded £1.4m to projects that help ease the process of moving patients from hospitals to social care.

Delivering digital solutions

29/09/2017

Delivering solutions for digital organisations, digital employees, and digital citizens, with embedded security.

Council to test how Amazon Echo can support older people

29/08/2017

Hampshire County Council will become the first local authority to use new Amazon Echo technology to help older people live independently in their homes for longer.

Thinking digitally

20/07/2017

Digital transformation can enable councils to run more smoothly - if everyone gets on board. William Eichler talks to Richard Godfrey, assistant director for digital at Peterborough, about ‘thinking digitally’.

Councils awarded £50,000 for digital approach to social care

17/07/2017

Over a dozen local authorities have been selected to receive tens of thousands of pounds worth of funding for projects which use digital technology to transform social care.

Government announces £400m digital infrastructure fund

03/07/2017

Whitehall has today announced the launch of a £400m digital infrastructure fund designed to ‘kick-start’ better broadband connections across the country.

Sector fury at Vodafone backtrack

24/05/2017

Telecoms giant Vodafone has ‘annoyed’ councils by back-tracking on plans to unbundle its services while hiking prices at the same time, The MJ has learned.

Majority believe local gov services ‘not connected’

16/05/2017

Over 80% of UK citizens currently think local government services are not connected, research reveals.

Front line staff ‘left behind’ on digital journey, report finds

28/04/2017

A ‘digital knowledge deficit’ among front line staff is holding back the effectiveness of change programmes in local authorities, new research reveals.

Councils expected to save millions through adoption of digital self-service

24/04/2017

A new digital transformation survey has found the main aim of local authorities over the next few years is to ensure the majority of council services are available through digital self-service.

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Banning urban pesticide use

RSPB and PAN are working on a letter from local councillors calling on the Government to introduce a national ban on urban pesticide use. Find out more below.
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