Transformation

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.

Transformation News

Birmingham's post Oracle scrutiny portal 'should help to better understand risks'

20/03/2025

A new online information site for scrutiny teams at Birmingham CC should lead to a better understanding of risk after the Oracle IT scandal, councillor says.

Liverpool bin lorries to measure mobile phone coverage

14/03/2025

Bin lorries and street sweepers in Liverpool are to be used to map the region’s mobile phone coverage from four main providers.

Council green lights multi-billion-pound data centre

06/03/2025

Plans for a multi-billion-pound data centre are a step closer to being realised after the local authority granted the proposals planning permission.

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.

Gloucestershire schools set to see solar panels installed

24/02/2025

Gloucestershire County Council has named six primary schools that will see solar panels installed.

Climate, craft beer and climbing: Sheffield unveils plans for rebrand

11/02/2025

A rebranding project to improve perceptions of Sheffield will help boost tourism and economic growth, according to the local authority.

Council green lights UK’s biggest battery site

30/01/2025

City of Doncaster Council has granted planning permission for what is billed to be the UK’s biggest battery site.

Amazon picks Darlington for first UK drone deliveries

28/01/2025

Global retailer Amazon has chosen Darlington for the UK launch of drone deliveries.

Council signs off on Europe’s biggest AI data centre

27/01/2025

Hertsmere Borough Council has granted outline planning permission for a £3.75bn data centre which promises to deliver thousands of new jobs.

Government urged to ‘empower’ councils as digital plans unveiled

21/01/2025

Council bosses have urged the Government to ‘empower’ local authorities after it set out new plans to overhaul digital technology and AI usage in public services.

Electric buggy pilot launched in London borough

21/01/2025

A pilot scheme allowing residents to hire electric buggies has been launched in the Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham in an effort to combat traffic congestion.

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.

Councils to be banned from making ransomware payments

14/01/2025

Local authorities could be banned from making ransomware payments as part of the Government’s plans to crack down on cybercrime.

Metro mayors back digital transformation

13/01/2025

A study of the manifestos of 12 UK metro mayors has revealed ‘clear alignment’ around digital transformation goals.

Council plans ‘striking’ Yorkshire roses landmark

13/01/2025

Three Yorkshire roses are set to form a ‘striking’ new landmark as part of a Barnsley Council redevelopment project.

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.

Local Welsh treasures receive £2m boost

24/12/2024

Over £2m will be awarded to seven local places in Wales including music venues and community and leisure centres.

State will operate 'more like a start-up'

10/12/2024

The launch of a £100m fund to pioneer public sector reform and deliver the Government's Plan for Change will see the state operate ‘more like a start-up', a minister has pledged.

Digital advisory group launched for Scotland’s public sector

03/12/2024

A new unit has been formed to develop digital skills across Scotland’s public and third sectors.

Newport becomes first UK council to install Eco Post sensors

03/12/2024

Sensors have been installed across Newport to inform residents about the level of air pollution.

Council to install 120 solar-powered bins

18/11/2024

Reigate & Banstead Borough Council is installing more than 120 new solar-powered litter bins to reduce litter and the borough’s carbon footprint.

Call for national taskforce to ‘urgently’ reform AI procurement

13/11/2024

Ministers have been urged to establish a national taskforce to ‘urgently’ reform the procurement of AI in local government.

PM announces £68m to unlock brownfield sites

15/10/2024

Local authorities are set to get a multi-million-pound funding boost to unlock disused brownfield sites and build thousands of new homes, PM announces.

Community environment projects get £300k boost

14/10/2024

Over a dozen locally led community projects in the West Midlands have shared almost £300,000 of funding to help improve the region’s environment.

Oxford’s original boundary revealed during dig

11/10/2024

Excavations are thought to have confirmed the original perimeter of Anglo-Saxon Oxford.

Rutland rolls out £100k charge point pilot

11/10/2024

Rutland County Council has secured over £100,000 to fund a pilot project that will see a minimum of 23 charge points installed across the county.

Yorkshire Wolds proposed as new outstanding beauty spot

09/10/2024

Plans have been put forward to designate part of the Yorkshire Wolds as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).

New data protection audit framework launched

07/10/2024

The Information Commissioner’s Office has today launched a new audit framework designed to help councils assess their compliance with data protection law.

Councils lack adequate support on AI, research finds

30/09/2024

Local authorities are being left without adequate support to procure AI in the public interest, according to new research.

Staffordshire leaders kick off devolution conversation

30/09/2024

Council leaders across Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent have written to the Government to begin a conversation about devolution.

Wessex councils join forces for devolution

30/09/2024

Dorset, Somerset, and Wiltshire councils are set to submit expressions of interest in devolution in response to a request from the Government.

Marginalised youths to benefit from £1m unemployment grant

26/09/2024

Young people with Bangladeshi and Pakistani heritage in Walsall are set to benefit from a £1m grant to help tackle youth unemployment in the region.

Blyth to be site of biggest AI data centre in Europe

26/09/2024

A £10bn investment aimed at delivering the biggest AI data centre in Europe could create thousands of jobs for the local community in Blyth, PM says.

Council backs proposals to increase number of members

23/09/2024

Proposals to increase the number of Cumberland Council councillors by around 20% have been backed.

South Yorkshire mayor welcomes £1.5bn nuclear factory decision

20/09/2024

The mayor of South Yorkshire has welcomed the news that South Yorkshire is set to become the new home of a planned £1.5bn Small Modular Reactor (SMR) factory.

RSTA launches first Pothole Prevention Week

19/09/2024

The Road Surface Treatments Association (RSTA) has launched its first Pothole Prevention Week campaign, running from 16-21 September.

Rayner confirms four devolution agreements

19/09/2024

Four devolution agreements have been signed off in what the secretary of state for local government describes as ‘only the first step’ of a devolution drive.

Ministers back Khan to pedestrianise Oxford Street

17/09/2024

The mayor of London has unveiled government-backed plans to pedestrianise the capital's most famous shopping street.

Councils racking up data storage debt

17/09/2024

Costs incurred by local authorities to store hard copies of documents is potentially costing the taxpayer millions of pounds each year, FOI requests reveal.

Future Forum Midlands: Clark points to reorganisation for sector

16/09/2024

Former communities secretary Greg Clark has said local government reorganisation should follow the creation of combined authorities.

Mayors announce Manchester-Birmingham railway line

13/09/2024

Plans for a railway line improving connections between Birmingham and Manchester ‘at a fraction of the costs’ of the northern leg of HS2 have been announced.

Manchester adopts Finnish housing scheme in UK first

12/09/2024

A housing scheme said to have significantly reduced homelessness in Finland is set to become a ‘guiding philosophy’ in Greater Manchester after a successful pilot.

Regional growth initiatives likely to 'fall over next year' without UKSPF clarity

12/09/2024

Regional growth initiatives are likely to ‘fall over next year' unless the Government clarifies the future of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF), a combined authority chief has warned.

Devolution key to net zero transition, think-tank says

10/09/2024

Devolving powers to cities will be critical to the Government achieving its net zero goals, a think-tank has argued.

£27m flood protection scheme gets the go-ahead

06/09/2024

Balfour Beatty has been awarded a £27m contract to deliver a flood protection scheme in Scotland on behalf of Perth and Kinross Council.

Cheshire and Warrington councils talk devolution

05/09/2024

Local authorities in Cheshire and Warrington have made some ‘positive’ steps along the road to devolution.

Northern leaders form new partnership

05/09/2024

A partnership has been launched between mayors and council leaders representing non-mayoral areas in the North of England.

Tewkesbury BC councillors vote in favour of name change

04/09/2024

Tewkesbury Borough Council has voted to change its name to North Gloucestershire Borough Council following consultation with residents.

Liverpool seeks Festival Gardens developer after £60m clean-up

04/09/2024

Liverpool City Council is set to start searching for a housing developer for a 28-acre site it spent £60m cleaning up.

John Lewis submits plans for £80m Reading housing scheme

04/09/2024

The John Lewis Partnership (JLP) has submitted plans to Reading Borough Council to build new rental housing on the site of a disused town centre depot.

Making payment processes smarter  image

Making payment processes smarter

It can be challenging to find the right software to streamline payment processes. Lewis McKenna-Crisp argues SmarterPay has the ideal solution for councils.

White Papers

Dispelling the myth: future networks whitepaper

A new whitepaper – produced by BT - looks set to dispel the myths surrounding ‘future networks’ and achieving a smarter digital future for organisations.

General Data Protection Regulation

Download a new White Paper on dealing with the new EU General Data Protection Regulation

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