Technology | LocalGov


Councils struggling to make case for preventative digital care 29/04/2025 Local authorities are struggling to make the investment case for preventative digital care, according to a commission looking at proactive care services.
LGA signs digital transformation agreement 24/04/2025 The Local Government Association has signed an agreement with trade association techUK to drive forward digital transformation within local government.
Streeting: Care staff to be trained in ‘cutting-edge’ tech 09/04/2025 Social care workers will be trained to use the latest ‘cutting-edge technology’ to help improve the social care system, Wes Streeting has said.
New funding for local government to tackle digital exclusion 26/02/2025 The Government has announced that new funding will be available to help local and combined authorities to tackle digital exclusion.
Barnet schools aim to become smartphone free 17/02/2025 Schools in the London borough of Barnet have launched an initiative to stop pupils bringing in smartphones.
Amazon picks Darlington for first UK drone deliveries 28/01/2025 Global retailer Amazon has chosen Darlington for the UK launch of drone deliveries.
BT axes EV charger scheme – after installing just one of 60,000 17/01/2025 BT Group has scrapped plans to convert street cabinets into public electric vehicle (EV) chargers after installing just one.
Use technology to support, smartly 08/01/2025 The national body for home adaptations, Foundations, is urging OTs to optimise the use of technology to support efficiency. AAT is already ahead of the game.
Wrexham saves £32,000 with smart water sensors 06/01/2025 Sensors that detect how much water flowerbeds need have saved Wrexham County Borough Council £32,000 over seven months, according to a report.
'Own goal' as £20m traffic signals fund cancelled 15/11/2024 The Labour government has cancelled a £20m fund for highway authorities to deploy advanced technology for traffic control, which councils had already bid for.
Omni expands into Govtech with acquisition of Infoshare and CIPFA software assets 13/11/2024 Omni Partners ("Omni") is pleased to announce its acquisition of Infoshare, a leader in data management, alongside two key software solutions from the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA): AssetManager.net (an advanced asset management platform) and CIPFAStats+ (an interactive data analysis tool).
Utilising self-service capabilities for local government 06/11/2024 Anthony Lamoureux, CEO of Velocity Smart Technology, discusses how council services can shift to a fully self-service model to cut costs.
Solar powered bus stop displays improve passenger experience in the Scottish Borders 05/09/2024 Journeo is working with Scottish Borders Council to bring scheduled and live Real Time Passenger Information to remote communities.
360 Vision Technology ‘Hybrid’ cameras enable an economical analogue-to-IP transition for Plymouth City Council 04/09/2024 360 Vision Technology has enabled a flexible, CCTV town centre network extension and replacement programme for Plymouth City Council.
New Vemotion Polecam takes rapid deployment surveillance to the next level 04/09/2024 Vemotion Interactive, the leading UK manufacturer of video streaming solutions, has launched a new version of their popular Polecam rapid deployment camera.
LGA: Minister’s stance on hybrid meetings ‘encouraging’ 19/08/2024 The Local Government Association (LGA) has said it was ‘encouraging’ that the new Government signalled an openness to discussing hybrid council meetings.
SWARCO UK & Ireland awarded new major service and maintenance agreement with five West Anglian councils 29/07/2024 SWARCO UK & Ireland has been awarded a new long-term service and maintenance contract for traffic signals and signage across five different council areas.
Award-winning Caseload Manager outperforms expectations, as tenancies under management near one million 22/07/2024 Voicescape’s award-winning technology, Caseload Manager, has outperformed expectations, doubling in size in the last 12 months.
Herefordshire Council uses drone to investigate fly-tipping 17/04/2024 A drone is being used by Herefordshire Council to gather evidence of illegal waste disposal.
Pothole-preventing robot passes first road test 08/03/2024 An autonomous robot designed to detect and fill cracks on roads has passed its first test outside of a laboratory.
Coventry to consider £35m for Gigapark investment zone 06/03/2024 Coventry City Council’s cabinet will discuss whether to accept up to £35m of government funding to develop a battery gigafactory as part a new investment zone.
360 Vision Technology’s Invictus TX wireless camera selected for Heritage site 31/01/2024 360 Vision Technology has been chosen to supply the camera surveillance technology for an historically important English Heritage site at Exeter Quayside.
Socitm: Public sector services must primarily become digital 22/01/2024 Despite extreme pressures on finances and staffing, public sector services must primarily become digital in everything they do, according to a new report from Socitm.
Leveraging tech to tackle black mould 09/01/2024 Deborah Matthews, MRI Software, looks at how arming onsite teams with the right tech can empower social housing providers to be proactive on black mould.
Parking meters face disruption from 2G switch off 18/12/2023 Parking meters, alarm systems and telecare devices risk facing disruption when 2G and 3G mobile networks are switched off, council chiefs warn.
VR training on coercive control rolled out 07/11/2023 An immersive training programme that aims to raise awareness of gender-based violence and support those affected has been rolled out in Greater Manchester and North Wales.
It’s a speed thing: digital transformation in local government 01/11/2023 Adrian Trickett, Vice President of Sales and General Manager of EMEA at Boomi, discusses why digital transformation projects in local government fail.
Concern over Bristol schools’ app use to monitor children 22/09/2023 Campaign groups have accused Bristol schools who use an app to monitor pupils and their families of ‘intrusive monitoring’.
Perth & Kinross in global first 31/08/2023 Perth & Kinross Council has become the first place in the world to use spiral-flow battery technology to reduce its carbon footprint.
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).
Getting tech-savvy Gen Z into the social care sector 07/07/2023 Rajiv Tanna, co-founder and CPO of birdie, looks at how technology can help the social care sector appeal to younger generations.
Don’t force drivers to pay for parking with smartphones, Gove says 06/04/2023 Levelling-up secretary Michael Gove has told councils they must not force drivers to use smartphones to pay for parking spaces.
Guide to the use of AI in social care published 06/03/2023 A new guide has been launched to help councils and social care providers avoid common pitfalls when introducing new technology into adult social care.
Council digitalisation being held back, report finds 23/02/2023 Councils’ efforts to digitalise are being hindered by a lack of funding and guidance, a new report has found.
Kent councils drop CCTV company over genocide accusation 21/02/2023 A number of local authorities in Kent have decided to stop using CCTV made by a company whose technology is allegedly linked to the Uyghur genocide in China.
Nottingham adds AI to traffic management tech 23/01/2023 Nottingham CC has partnered technology company VivaCity to install 219 sensors with a mix of ANPR, traffic monitoring and Smart Signal Control systems.
Think tank calls for £14.5bn ‘city innovation zones’ 14/12/2022 A think tank has called on the Government to invest £14.5bn to build ‘city innovation zones’ in Birmingham, Glasgow, and Manchester.
Local government must look to new technology approaches in 2023 09/12/2022 In the face of unprecedented budgetary and security pressures, local government needs to look for new ways to implement and manage solutions. Richard Hartill reports.
How to unlock value with a Total Experience strategy 05/12/2022 Lisa Arnold argues Total Experience (TX) is the future of local government work, allowing public bodies to create superior shared experiences.
BT trials smart tech to support care home residents 30/11/2022 BT is trialing smart technology to support care home residents in Scarborough in a move that will make independent living easier.
Collecting with care during a cost of living crisis 18/11/2022 Sean Sutton argues ethical collections and improving customer relationships are key to how local authorities operate.
Mayor welcomes new Solihull tech lab 14/10/2022 The West Midlands mayor Andy Street has welcomed today’s announcement that a new state-of-the-art telecommunications lab will be based in Solihull.
Why are more councils investing in property inspection technology? 15/09/2022 Destin Solutions looks at the surge in interest in technology solutions such as property inspection tools. and considers how they can help revenue generation.
Citizen 4.0 - The future of local public services 27/07/2022 Matt Culpin explains how local authorities can use big data to predict demand for public services.
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.
Smarter steps to a greener future 24/05/2022 Brightly’s digital asset management solution, Confirm, is helping local authorities to streamline their operations, cut costs and contribute to the wider, global sustainability mission. Hannah Winstanley explains more.
Council devolution: how technology can enable a successful and seamless transition 05/05/2022 Scott Goodwin explains how technology holds the key to unlocking a successful and seamless transition to a unitary model.
Going digital: putting the public first in public services 19/04/2022 Nigel Blair explores the challenge of embracing digitalisation whilst keeping local authorities’ customer centric.
How to comply with the new sanctions triggered by the war in Ukraine 11/04/2022 Barley Laing outlines how local authorities can ensure they comply with new sanctions to avoid facing a hefty fine.
Councils offered £75,000 grant to test digital housing services 30/03/2022 Councils are being invited to apply for grants of £75,000 to test out with older people which technology tools and digital housing services work best for them.
How blockchain-inspired tech can spark societal change for the better 01/03/2022 David Coleman explains how distributed ledger technology can improve how societies operate.
Moving beyond digital service delivery in local government 11/01/2022 Ved Sen outlines how councils can harness data to improve lives.
Is a multi-skilled workforce the future of local government? 17/11/2021 Chris Hornung explains why multi-skilling can provide councils with the tools needed to bridge the gap between different areas, streamline communication and improve productivity?.
Edinburgh tops list of ‘booming’ cities outside of London 19/10/2021 Edinburgh, Manchester and Leeds have topped the list of local authorities with the highest number of high-growth businesses outside of London.
Why partnerships are key to enabling inclusive growth and closing the digital divide 14/10/2021 Simon Haston explains how local authorities are turning to technology for new ways to deliver for communities.
Local councils must transform to become sustainable 12/10/2021 Ian Owen outlines how Software as Service (SaaS) solutions can help councils drive real operational improvements and financial savings.
Why partnerships are key to enabling inclusive growth and closing the digital divide 08/10/2021 Simon Haston explains how local authorities are turning to technology for new ways to deliver for communities.
Keeping patients out of hospital: Why one council is spending money on health tech 01/10/2021 A pre-pandemic vision in Stockport to invest in remote care is now having a big impact on preventing costly and distressing hospital admissions, and is keeping people supported at home. Mark Fitton explains how.
Local councils must transform to become sustainable 28/09/2021 Ian Owen outlines how Software as Service (SaaS) solutions can help councils drive real operational improvements and financial savings.
Sutton Council's IoT pilot project 14/09/2021 David Grasty, head of digital strategy & portfolio for Kingston and Sutton Councils, outlines how in-home sensors have improved the safety of vulnerable residents living in social housing.
The role of safety technology in a changing workplace 03/09/2021 Naz Dossa examines the changes in working practices and how technology is playing an increasingly vital role in staff safety and security.
Call to ‘mainstream’ assistive technology in adult social care 14/07/2021 Assistive technology should be placed at the centre of adult social care to make it more targeted and preventative, a new report has argued today.
Minister announces £30m to boost battery and hydrogen technology 30/03/2021 The Government has announced over £30m of investment in battery technology, the electric vehicle supply chain and hydrogen vehicles.
How technology can help transform person-centred care 10/03/2021 Jason Harries explains why technology is the obvious choice for keeping people connected and enabling the best possible outcomes for each individual.
Forget smart cities, smart, programmable communities are the future 01/03/2021 Rob Bullock argues that in order for smart communities to become a reality then local government needs to become citizen centric and create people-based outcomes.
BT Partners with scale-ups on breakthrough green tech 23/02/2021 Tech scale-ups collaborate with BT to develop new services aimed at helping public sector customers transition to Net Zero.
Embracing the civic tech movement 22/02/2021 Lora Botev explains why ‘civic tech’ offers an opportunity for councils to re-engage communities in local decision making.
Welsh council to trial touchless technology at pedestrian crossings 27/01/2021 Rhondda Cynon Taf Council will be trialling touchless technology at six busy pedestrian crossings in a bid to reduce the spread of coronavirus.
Towards Net Zero 07/01/2021 Join us on 26 January to discover break-through technology supporting the UK’s green recovery
Robotics to be deployed in battle against potholes 27/10/2020 The University of Liverpool has launched a spin out company which will drive the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and robotics to detect potholes and road cracks.
NHS COVID-19 app launched 24/09/2020 People across England and Wales are being urged to download the NHS COVID-19 app to help control the spread of coronavirus.
How local authorities have embraced lockdown to get their road networks in shape 21/09/2020 Chris Dyer outlines how connected asset management platforms are helping councils speed ahead with road maintenance schemes and reactive repairs work.
Advancing beyond ‘business as usual’ 17/09/2020 Raj Krishnamurthy, CEO of Freespace, looks at the role workplace technology can play in helping councils deliver services during the Covid-19 crisis.
How to approach rental arrears in a COVID world 26/08/2020 Chris Walker explains how data science, behavioural insights and technology can help councils change the way they manage repayment arrangements.
COVID-19 spotlights information management shortcomings in local government 20/08/2020 James Paton highlights the glaring gaps in information management capabilities and provides some practical action points.?
Four in five council staff working from home 19/08/2020 The number of council staff working from home has rocketed from 5% pre-lockdown to 80%, according to new research.
Care technology can no longer be a managed leap of faith 30/07/2020 Robert Turnbull explains how Hampshire CC is using cobots to improve adult social care during the pandemic.
Keeping the Welsh public safe with PSBA’s network 17/07/2020 PSBA has supported Dyfed-Powys Police (DPP) with network solutions for over a decade, providing connectivity services to enable DPP to serve Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion, Pembrokeshire and Powys, the largest police force area in England and Wales.
Space-enabled technologies to aid coronavirus support 10/07/2020 Space data will soon help local authorities to identify ‘hidden’ vulnerable people under new plans announced today.
Fast-tracking technologies during the crisis 09/07/2020 Anthony Singleton explains how technology is helping local government deal with the huge spike in demand for services due to COVID-19.
Moving to the cloud 17/06/2020 Cllr Dominic Twomey explains how the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham maintained and improved contact centre performance during a crisis.
Contact tracing apps: Considerations for local authorities 27/05/2020 Dr Nathaniel O'Grady outlines what four key points should be considered by local authorities before the roll-out of the tracing app begins.
The future of local authority payment services 22/04/2020 Danny Vant asks what does the future of local authority payments have in store?
Video conferencing first at council meeting 02/04/2020 A council used software to help decide key planning applications in what is believed to be the first meeting of its kind in the country.
Projects chosen for £35m 5G technology trials 20/02/2020 A virtual Robin Hood will tell visitors about the history of Sherwood Forest under new plans to trial 5G.
Funding in tech to reduce traffic 17/02/2020 Three projects exploring how tech can cut congestion have been awarded £1.5m funding from the Government.
Pilot Group energy management system to save one million tonnes of CO2 in 2020 27/01/2020 Pilot Group has also made several new features available and numerous upgrades to the system to ensure that the energy management system delivers savings in both costs and energy usage using the latest technology.
Half of local government workers worry about redundancy as a result of cuts 14/11/2019 Around 50% of local government workers worry that they could be made redundant by technological innovation or Government cuts, a survey has revealed.
New partnership to boost HealthTech innovation across Leeds 15/08/2019 A new cross-sector partnership has been signed to boost health technology innovation across the Leeds City Region.
New deal to transform the learning disability sector 29/07/2019 Gavin Bashar discusses how assistive technology can make a positive difference to people with learning disabilities.
Projects to develop new highways tech are launched 31/05/2019 A £22.9m programme has been launched with eight local authorities to develop new ways of building roads.
‘Shockingly small’ number of councils embrace automation, study reveals 10/05/2019 Research dealing with the adoption of new technology in the local government sector has revealed that fewer than 5% of councils have automation or AI projects underway.
Council to launch UK's first city-wide digital currency 10/05/2019 Belfast City Council has announced plans to launch the UK's first incentive-based digital currency.
EventApp - Transforming event planning 09/05/2019 Find out how the EventApp is transforming event planning for UK councils.
The use of drones in local government 03/05/2019 Aerial unmanned vehicles – drones – have hit the headlines after reports that councils are using them to inspect dodgy building work. Mark Whitehead looks at the issues involved.
In perfect partnership: how councils can get the most out of a tech provider 26/03/2019 Cassandra Phillip lists the key steps to creating a successful partnership with a technology provider.
Council investigates using ‘smart’ cars to detect potholes 22/01/2019 Oxfordshire County Council could be rolling out ‘smart’ cars to help detect potholes quickly.
Funding to help those with health conditions return to work 22/11/2018 The Government has announced £4m of funding for technology to help people with disabilities return to work.
West Midlands awarded £20m to make journeys ‘cheaper and quicker’ 03/10/2018 The West Midlands will pioneer new transport schemes to make journeys ‘quicker, cheaper and cleaner’ following a £20m funding announcement.
Khan awards tech firms £15,000 to tackle London’s challenges 02/10/2018 The mayor of London has awarded £15,000 each to eight tech firms to help them develop solutions to the capital’s social and environmental problems.