Local public services innovation focus week: call for contributions
techUK will host its Local public services innovation focus week from 14 September – 18 September. As we hold our Local public services innovation summit, we will be bringing you thought leadership from industry voices on the key themes shaping local government today.
Councils across the country are navigating a period of significant change and transformation, whether or not they are directly involved in Local Government Reorganisation (LGR). For those going through LGR, the process offers a valuable opportunity to rethink how local government is organised and delivered, bringing together services, processes, and ways of working while maintaining continuity for residents.
At the same time, the challenges and opportunities facing councils are not limited to those undergoing reorganisation. Every local authority is looking for ways to improve efficiency, strengthen resilience, and deliver services that better meet the needs of their communities. Digital tools and technology can support these ambitions by helping councils streamline operations, make better use of information, and improve the citizen experience.
Our Local Public Services Innovation Week will explore what this transformation means in practice, from the practical realities of delivering LGR, to the innovative ways technology can help councils shape services around residents' needs.
We will be exploring four key themes which you can find below:
From reorganisation to reinvention: transforming local public services for the better
With LGR decisions being announced for councils across the country, local government across England will be reshaped, transforming the way local government across England is structured, how citizens engage with local public services. With this change, comes an opportunity for transformation, and to build the digital council of the future. Technology will also play a critical role in enabling LGR, integrating data systems across merging councils and ensuring service continuity throughout the process.
#ReuseAndShare: collaborating to accelerate tech adoption
Councils across the country are facing similar challenges and pressures. Often these councils are solving the same problems independently, when a solution has worked elsewhere and has the potential to be reused. Reusing and sharing offers a chance for councils to modernise using existing tools. Achieving this means building awareness of existing tools, helping councils adopt them with confidence, and sharing results so success scales everywhere else.
AI and the council of the future: ambition, adoption and assurance
AI has the potential to transform councils and the services they deliver. However, ambition alone does not guarantee good outcomes. AI needs good data, governance and skills to succeed, and councils need to approach it by looking at real services first, using AI to solve specific problems or achieve particular outcomes, rather than adopting it for its own sake. Implementing AI successfully requires a joined-up approach, built on genuine partnership between suppliers and councils.
Procuring for success: outcomes, trust and value-led partnerships
techUK's Public Sector Procurement Landscape 2025 report found that 73.7% of buyers felt that at least half of the recent procurements have not achieved the best outcome for their organisation. As well as identifying teams defaulting to lowest cost and missing out on better solutions and innovative suppliers in the process due to the lack of early market engagement. To achieve better outcomes, there needs to be a shift in culture, with a focus on the problem being solved and trust and value-led partnerships at the centre of the process. This means earlier, transparent engagement between councils and suppliers, and space for SMEs to compete alongside larger strategic partners rather than being squeezed out. Done well, this builds the trust needed for long-term partnership, not just a one-off contract.
