Declaring a climate change emergency
Local authorities can play a key role in tackling climate change – and there is plenty for them to do. Never before has thinking globally and acting locally been more important, says Mark Whitehead.
ICO launches consultation on its updated data sharing code of practice
18/07/2019 The Information Commissioner’s Office is asking organisations to have their say on its updated data sharing code of practice. |
Over £1m awarded to ‘innovative data projects’
09/04/2019 The winners of a competition designed to find the most innovative data projects out there will receive a share of a £1.5m fund, the Government has announced. |
The Golden Record: creating the Smart Council
05/04/2019 Richard Godfrey provides his insight into how councils can maximise the data at their disposal to create the golden record. |
How digitisation will put the human into HR
27/02/2019 Simon Fowler explains about how local government employee engagement can be supercharged by HR professionals learning to harness data and technology. |
Care chiefs raise concerns over poor data sharing with NHS
08/01/2019 Less than a quarter of local authority chief executives and social care directors regard their relationship with the NHS as good with data sharing being a particular problem, according to a survey by The MJ and BT. |
Councils urged to create a 'data-driven environment'
06/12/2018 Welsh councils need to make better use of data to improve services, according to regulators. |
Putting data to work
03/12/2018 Faith Clark explains how a new contract will give local government free access to aerial photography. |
Councils on verge of 'real-time data revolution'
21/11/2018 Councils across England could be on the brink of a 'real-time data revolution', according to the results of a new survey. |
The rise of predictive analytics in local government recruitment
20/11/2018 Why does data have such an important role to play in improving recruiting practices within the local government? Charles Hipps reports. |
Open technology and data connects citizens and cities
12/11/2018 Phil Brunkard talks about how Open technology connects citizens and cities. |
Majority of councils using data analytics to improve services
24/10/2018 Seven out of 10 local authorities are harnessing data analytics to improve citizen services, freedom of information requests reveal. |
Two councils launch intelligent data challenge
20/09/2018 Durham County Council and Blaenau Gwent Borough Council are calling on technology businesses to develop solutions that capture and analyse data to improve public services. |
Understanding your citizens to beat the Universal Credit challenge
27/06/2018 Local authorities and social housing providers must use data to provide a faster and more efficient service for the citizens they serve, says Gary Bell. |
Dispelling the myth: future networks whitepaper
25/06/2018 A new whitepaper – produced by BT - looks set to dispel the myths surrounding ‘future networks’ and achieving a smarter digital future for organisations. |
Data on racial inequalities ‘inconsistent’, MPs say
11/06/2018 The collection of data regarding racial inequalities in public services is ‘inconsistent’, MPs have found. |
Three areas chosen to pilot health and care records scheme
23/05/2018 Information about patients will be shared between hospitals and GPs in a new 'partnership' scheme being trialled in three areas of England. |
General Data Protection Regulation
23/02/2018 Download a new White Paper on dealing with the new EU General Data Protection Regulation |
Former council worker fined for snapchatting personal data
23/02/2018 A former apprentice at Southwark Council has been fined after illegally sharing personal information about schoolchildren and their parents via Snapchat. |
EXCLUSIVE: Finance settlement 'shambles' after provisional data wrong
18/01/2018 The local government finance settlement has descended into a shambles after it emerged allocations in the provisional document were wrong, The MJ can exclusively reveal. |
Technology and the public sector 2018
15/01/2018 Jos Creese outlines some key technology trends councils should focus on in 2018. |
Finding land for development
20/12/2017 Stefan Webb explains how data platforms can improve the speed, quality and cost of planning. |
'Troubled services' costing £10bn to keep going by Government
19/10/2017 The Government is spending billions keeping public services going but failing to deal with underlying problems, experts have warned. |
Failing to provide the full picture
27/09/2017 Gary Pettengell warns that messy government data makes it impossible to predict outcomes for vulnerable children. |
Councils to boost revenues collection with real-time intelligence
14/09/2017 Find out why authorities are investing in innovative new technology that provides up to date intelligence that sits alongside their own data, helping them make more informed decisions on recovery and forecasting. |
The power of data
10/08/2017 Stewart Eldridge discusses with key figures the way local authorities have been making the most of quality, comprehensive data to deal with the challenge of delivering efficient, quality services. |
The road to a smart city
08/08/2017 Paul Haddlesey sets out why local authorities should ensure street lighting infrastructure can adapt to future data input needs. |
Council apologises over air quality ‘manipulation’
02/08/2017 Cheshire East Council has apologised after admitting its air quality figures were deliberately tampered with for three years. |
The six challenges facing local councils over next 20 years
12/07/2017 An ageing population, fragmented families and housing affordability are among the challenges the local government sector will face over the next two decades, report says. |
Data system 'refresh' needed by 2019, warn council IT heads
23/06/2017 Around three quarters of councils believe their systems for storing and analysing data will be ‘unfit for purpose’ within two years, according to a new poll. |
Councils invited to join research on ageing-related decision making
09/06/2017 Councils are being invited to join an ‘innovative new data project’ which will help them to better understand ageing-related issues in their communities. |
Lib Dems call for mandatory reporting on ethnicity pay gap
10/05/2017 The Liberal Democrats have announced plans to introduce mandatory reporting on the ethnicity pay gap for organisations with 250 employees or more if elected. |
Oxford council tests innovative street mapping project
12/04/2017 Oxford City Council is trialling a new street mapping project as part of a push to develop autonomous vehicles and as a means to transform the way the authority manages its services across the city. |
Think tank outlines potential of using data 'dashboards' to improve services
04/04/2017 Using 'dashboards' to help staff make sense of huge quantities of information could improve public sector services, a think tank has recommended. |
Councils should be ‘more creative’ with technology, report says
21/03/2017 Local authorities must become more creative in their use of technology and more collaborative with both their citizens and other organisations in order to prepare for the future, report says. |
Statsbuster – Housebuilding in England 2016
27/02/2017 Neil Merrick analyses the latest housebuilding statistics to reveal national and local trends in starts and completions. |
Why communication is the missing link
25/01/2017 Nick Smee explains why highways agencies need to drive two-way communication with the public. |
An evidence base for tackling social cohesion
04/01/2017 Professor Richard Webber explains how Big Data has been used to identify the level of diversity in every street in Britain and how councils can use this information to tackle social cohesion. |
Our data-driven future is already here
04/01/2017 Bob Quin explains how local authorities can use data analytics to deliver better outcomes and more cost-effective services. |
Majority of councils unable to analyse siloed data
08/12/2016 Although nine out of ten councils store their citizen data digitally, less than a third are able to analyse it effectively, according to a new survey. |
Data scientists should be embedded in local councils argues Nesta
29/11/2016 The Government should ringfence £4m to enable data scientists to sift councils’ ‘data goldmines’, innovation foundation Nesta urged today. |
MPs urged to support take up of free school dinners
28/11/2016 Councils should be free to share benefit data with schools to enable children to be automatically signed up for free meals, school leaders have said. |
Mass data breach at Nottinghamshire council
24/11/2016 The police are investigating a possible mass breach of data protection laws in a Nottinghamshire council. |
Information-sharing agreement to improve children’s services
16/11/2016 A new information-sharing agreement looks set to improve children’s care services across England. |
How Big Data will stop you missing your flight
10/11/2016 Bob Quinn outlines how councils can use simple data mining exercises to build the foundation of a Smart City. |
Welsh councils should think ‘strategically’ about charging for services
10/11/2016 Local authorities are not using all the options at their disposal to generate income because of weaknesses in their policies and in how they use data, auditors say. |
How analytics is shaping the future of local government
07/11/2016 Nick Felton predicts that data analytics and business intelligence will become crucial for councils over the next few years. |
Prescribing for Type 2 diabetes ‘increased drastically’
11/10/2016 Type 2 diabetes prescriptions have risen by one third in five years, new research reveals. |
Improving the safety of mobile technology
24/08/2016 Has BYOD and mobile technology become secure enough for local government use? Peter Merkulov reports. |
London counter-fraud scheme could save £60m a year
10/08/2016 The new London Counter Fraud Hub could detect up to £60m in fraud according to new data. |
Councils warn about new transparency burdens
12/07/2016 Government plans to make councils publish more data will put further financial pressures on councils for ‘no apparent purpose’, London Councils has warned. |
Data sharing programme uncovers £17m in fraud
30/06/2016 A data sharing exercise between councils and other public sector organisations in Scotland has uncovered nearly £17m of fraud and errors. |
Stockport Council signs data centre deal
28/06/2016 Stockport City Council has significantly reduced its data centre footprint by moving to an enterprise cloud solution. |
Connected cycle light wins smart city award
13/05/2016 An intelligent cycle light that can show city planners where best to invest money in cycling infrastructure and the sites of potential potholes, has won a £15,000 prize. |
Watchdog calls for improved scrutiny of public spending
04/05/2016 The increased used of outsourcing and devolution to local areas is undermining Parliament's ability to hold the Government to account, the public spending watchdog is warning today. |
Silver bullet for digital strategies
26/04/2016 Establishing a single standard for data management has numerous benefits. Dean Wanless sets out the criteria for enabling common working across the sector as it fast-forwards towards devolution. |
Big data, big challenge
15/04/2016 Michael White explores how local authorities can turn data into insight to help shape future policy. |
Report highlights ‘transformational power’ of address and street data
07/04/2016 A new report is urging councils to use address and street data to transform the way they deliver services. |
It’s good to share
07/03/2016 Michael White finds out why some councils are sharing health data to streamline processes and increase resilience to front line services. |
Councils tackle gambling-related harm with ‘cutting edge’ research
15/02/2016 Two local authorities have become the first in the UK to map people at risk of gambling-related harm in their communities. |
County refuses to pay cyber ransom demand
01/02/2016 Lincolnshire County Council has restored IT systems following a cyber-attack last week. |
Civil servants failing to share data with councils, survey reveals
29/01/2016 Less than a third of civil servants said their department is sharing data with local government, according to the results of a new survey. |
London boroughs work together to crack down on fraud
15/12/2015 A counter-fraud hub has been launched in London to crack down on fraud in the Capital and save London boroughs millions of pounds each year. |
New database will help support thousands of vulnerable residents in Leeds
14/10/2015 Leeds City Council and Calderdale Council have joined forces to create a new database that can be used to provide more effective support to vulnerable residents in Leeds. |
Councils urged to adopt 'data-driven' solutions
08/10/2015 New York can be a model for councils looking to drive ‘data-driven solutions’ locally, claims a Socitm briefing. |
Government ‘should be embarrassed’ by land disposal records, says watchdog
24/09/2015 The Government has been criticised for the way it has managed the sale of public land for new housing, in a damning report published by the public spending watchdog. |
Joining up the data
22/09/2015 Michael White examines how councils are integrating data to prioritise how resources are used and to create a holistic picture of citizen demands. |
Innovation in inertia – the cultural barrier
31/07/2015 Why councils need to overcome cultural barriers and the skills gaps to achieve transformational change. |
IT security inadequate against threat of cybercrime warns councils
29/07/2015 Less than half of local authorities (41%) think their IT security is able to protect their organisation from the growing threat of cybercrime, new research has revealed. |
Big Data presents big opportunities
20/07/2015 Paul Ryder discusses grasping the opportunity presented by Big Data, for both local and central government. |
Thousands of emails stolen from council website in cyber attack
08/07/2015 Over 13,000 email addresses have been stolen from Edinburgh City Council’s website following a ‘malicious’ cyber attack. |
Google steps in to offer high streets help
02/07/2015 Internet giants Google are offering British high street shops the chance to revolutionise their digital strategies. |
Population ‘unaware’ of smart city initiatives launched by councils
02/07/2015 Some 96% of people are unaware of smart city initiatives being run by their local council, while one in four are unclear on any one main benefit. |
Public sector most 'at risk' of cyber-attack
18/06/2015 Public sector organisations are the number one target for malware attacks in the UK, according to the latest survey. |
London urged to appoint ‘Data Tsar’ to transform services
11/06/2015 The next Mayor of London should appoint a Data Tsar to monitor and analyse data sets from all the Capital’s boroughs to improve public services, a new report is proposing. |
Cyber security: We really are all in it together
04/06/2015 Why councils must guard their networks and cloud services against attack with sophisticated firewalls, proactive monitoring and comprehensive threat intelligence |
Wanted: Creative CIOs for local government
03/06/2015 Local government is an exciting place to be a CIO right now, and those who can step up creatively and commercially will lead from the front |
Government crowns 16 councils as ‘open data champions’
25/03/2015 A group of 16 councils have been named ‘open data champions’ by government for their work to expand digital working. |
Budget 2015: Government commits to digital collaboration with councils
19/03/2015 A Government vow to collaborate with councils on digital services has been welcomed as ‘vital’ for improving local approaches. |
Councils struggling to tackle leaky homes finds study
06/02/2015 Councils are struggling to identify inefficient homes due to a lack of accurate data, a new study has found. |
Report urges improved integration in early years’ services
21/11/2014 ‘Fragmented and complex’ services for young children are leading to missed opportunities for families, according to a new report. |
Making local services Smart
10/11/2014 Jacqui Taylor explores the creation of Smart City models across the UK |
Greater Manchester expands data sharing project
26/09/2014 Stockport and Tameside have become the latest councils to join a data-sharing scheme designed to help authorities engage local people and improve services. |
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The data explosion
22/07/2014 Why councils are beginning to recognise the value in data visualisation technology. |
The June issue of Local Government News contains the full details of all the winning schemes in the 2019 Street Design Awards. From Children's Play to Pedestrian Environment, find out who has been recognised for their innovation and use of best practice.
This issue also explores how local government pension funds can hedge currency risk, how councils can best address the shortfall in school places, and an update on the number of authorities banning the use of Roundup over safety fears.
