Ideas and insights from inside local government
On using technology to improve outcomes for citizens — what’s working, what isn’t, and what we’ve learned delivering it.
More insights
Creating Capacity vs Reacting to Demand
AI is adding to council workloads, and it can help clear them too. Freeing up officer time is the route to more capacity.
SEND Reform: What Comes Next For Councils
Writing the plan was the easier half. Councils are now accountable for delivering what they promised, on top of the SEND service they were already running.
What local government reorganisation means for your IT function
Merging into a new unitary council means merging networks, identity, supplier contracts and security postures — on a political timetable rather than a technical one.
Five ways councils are using AI in 2026
Five ways councils are using AI in 2026, from drafting EHCPs and social care assessments to easing contact centre pressure and clearing planning backlogs.
When should councils build or buy AI?
Hire a team and build agentic tools in-house, or bring in a partner? A practical guide to the build vs buy decision, weighing capacity, statutory risk and talent.
Almost 7,000 children supported: reflecting on the 2025/26 school year
6,939 uses of the EHCP Drafting Tool across 25 local authorities in one school year. What SEND teams taught us, and what EHCP Drafting V2 brings next.
The Next Chapter of Public Service Transformation
The challenges facing councils have fundamentally changed — and real AI transformation comes from embedding it into everyday services, not isolated pilots.
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