A new coalition to help councils develop internet-based services has been launched.

The Local Digital Coalition, led by the Society of Local Authority Chief Executives and the Society of Information Technology Management (Socitm), brings together a range of existing organisations to ‘unlock the benefits of collaborative digital services transformation’.

All local public sector organisations will be invited to join the coalition, with a secretariat initially provided by Camden LBC.

The focus in its first year will be on projects including the Blue Badge Attribute Checker, DVLA API, which enables councils to verify registered owners of vehicles, and the Integrated Care Record for health and social care.

Assets and resources from the Department for Communities and Local Government Local Digital Programme will be transferred to the coalition.

Martin Ferguson, director of policy and research at Socitm, said: ‘The coalition breaks new ground in collaboration between its partners to drive the shared development and adoption by councils of five digitally transformed, joined-up service designs for the future.’