Talking 5 with Local Public Services Member Infoshare+
Each month, techUK's Associate Director for Local Public Services, Georgina Maratheftis, interviews a member active in the local government space about their vision for the future of local public services and where digital can make a real difference to people and society. This month we talk with Guy Giles, Managing Director of InfoShare+, to explore how digital innovation and data-driven insights are transforming decision-making and enhancing service delivery.
Welcome Guy. Firstly, tell me more about you, your career and how you got to this position today?
I began my career in pharmaceuticals and management consulting but was drawn to public service and digital transformation. That led to a role at the Cabinet Office (then the Office of the e-Envoy), where I worked on early government tech initiatives.
From there, I became involved in national digital inclusion projects - particularly through interactive television, which was a big push in the early 2000s to reach those without online access. We developed a platform used across local and central government, which evolved into DigiTV and later Looking Local.
Looking Local shifted away from interactive TV and into broader digital solutions for local government, with a strong focus on adult social care in the past decade.
Most recently, the opportunity came up to join InfoShare+, which made perfect sense. Our work at Looking Local aligned closely with their vision - data-led, digital solutions for local government. So early in 2025, we formally became part of InfoShare+. With our shared vision and goals and combined expertise, we are enhancing the impact we have in supporting the public sector deliver meaningful outcomes for the communities they serve.
What is the greatest opportunity for local government when it comes to digital?
The greatest opportunity for local government when it comes to digital is the ability to harness data to transform both decision-making and service delivery.
With rising demand and financial pressures, councils must rethink how they operate. Digital tools not only streamline services but also unlock the value of the data councils already hold. By joining up and analysing this information, local government can better understand local needs, spot risks earlier, and target support more effectively. In areas like child safeguarding, this can mean identifying issues sooner and intervening earlier – making a real, lasting impact on people’s lives.
People are more comfortable than ever engaging with services online. This moment is an opportunity to embrace a digital-first model, where resources are focused on the minority who genuinely can’t or won’t use digital channels. That’s not about excluding anyone - it’s about prioritising and adapting in a sustainable way. This enables staff to spend more time where they’re most needed – providing meaningful human support.
The opportunity is clear – to create more responsive, efficient, and preventative public services. The tools, platforms, and appetite are all there - now it’s about bold leadership and execution.
What is your vision for the future of local public services and places?
My vision is for local public services to be truly seamless – where digital is at the heart of everything councils do, not a separate channel or bolt-on.
Currently, services operate in silos, with little integration between digital and in-person interactions. But people don’t live their lives in channels – they expect to move seamlessly between them, whether that’s from a mobile device to a laptop, a call centre, or an in-person conversation.
The future should be about joined-up, human-centred design, where both staff and the public use the same core tools and platforms. This way, digital becomes a shared environment, supporting consistency and better outcomes for all. It also means that data is continuously monitored and used to drive improvements, ensuring support is targeted, responsive, and that councils can compare their performance to identify best practices.
Crucially, this isn’t about replacing human contact – it’s about using digital to streamline the experience, so in-person capacity can focus where it’s most needed.
Ultimately, local services should be digitally confident, inclusive, and designed around how people actually live, not around organisational structures or legacy processes.
