Event round up: techUK and LGA local government reorganisation supplier briefing
As councils prepare for major structural change, techUK and the LGA are championing collaboration between suppliers and local authorities. Discover how digital innovation can unlock efficiency, improve citizen services, and shape a smarter future for local government.
On 2 October, techUK together with the LGA hosted a local government reorganisation (LGR) briefing for suppliers. This event explored LGR and the role that suppliers can play in supporting councils through this process. With contributions from senior leaders across local government and central departments, the session offered insights into the strategic backdrop and emerging opportunities during LGR, as well as practical lessons from recent reorganisations and opportunity for suppliers to share feedback on their priorities for reorganisation.
Driving collaboration in local government reorganisation
Georgina Maratheftis, Associate Director for Local Public Services at techUK, and Rebekah Wilson, Programme Manager for LG Horizons at LGA, opened the session by exploring the purpose of the event and highlighting the potential for collaboration. They spoke about how both organisations are well placed to help drive that collaboration forward. With 21 areas currently preparing final proposals for reorganisation, there is an opportunity to reshape service delivery and improve digital infrastructure across local government, ultimately improving lives and driving cost efficiencies.
Strategic context: where councils stand today
Jonathan Stephenson, CEO of Brentwood Borough Council and Rochford District Council, gave an overview of the current status of LGR and the opportunity he sees for councils to work with suppliers. While there is currently less activity as councils prepare their final proposals, there are significant opportunities ahead. He spoke of the possibility for improved citizen services and financial savings, while also acknowledging key challenges such as legacy systems, fragmented data, and varying levels of digital maturity. He encouraged suppliers to be agile, innovative and communicative, noting that if secure services like passports and driving licences can be digitised, councils should be empowered to do the same. According to Jonathan, digital transformation is the bridge to a more efficient and responsive future.
National digital context and LGR
Lisa Trickey, Lead Adviser for Digital Change at LGA set out the national digital context for reorganisation. Central government has placed increasing emphasis on digitisation in public services in recent years, with white papers and reports such as The State of Digital Government, which references local government 29 times and the Blueprint for Modern Digital Government which sets out a six-point plan for the public sector to guide digital reform including focusing on leadership, digital skills, secure infrastructure, user-centred design, data-driven decision-making, and ethical use of AI. Lisa shared the LGA research earlier this year which identified the success factors to position a new unitary council for ongoing change and transformation which included a strong focus on people and skills, the importance of establishing good, secure technical foundations, leadership and organisational readiness. The timeline for LGR proposals includes final submissions in November, government feedback expected in the spring, and vesting day in April 2028.
Ellie Browne from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government’s Local Digital Team spoke about the department’s active engagement with suppliers through the Local Digital Programme. Her team is building market intelligence to understand supplier needs and capabilities, identify opportunities for alignment with councils, and help shape the market. Focus areas include cybersecurity, service improvement and productivity. She acknowledged the challenges councils face when collaborating effectively, including inconsistent data, legacy systems and limited resources and emphasised the importance of councils becoming intelligent buyers, clearly articulating their needs and expectations while maintaining ongoing engagement with suppliers.
Increasing understanding of the LGR journey – the case of Cumberland Council
Kate Hurr, Assistant Director for Digital Innovation and ICT at Cumberland, discussed the recent reorganisation of Cumbria into two new councils: Westmorland and Furness, and Cumberland. She shared lessons from the transition, focusing on the challenges of disaggregating services, teams and supplier contracts across the new councils. Many contracts were spread across multiple councils and required careful unpicking, which created issues around continuity, access and integration, especially where systems differed or data was siloed. While Vesting Day marked the formal transition, she emphasised that transformation and integration is a prolonged process. Suppliers need to be prepared to maintain stable relationships and navigate possible delays in decision-making caused by organisational change. Despite the complexity, she noted that reorganisation also presents a valuable opportunity to reset, modernise and build stronger, more collaborative partnerships between councils and suppliers.
Q&A and supplier feedback workshop
The session concluded with a lively Q&A and workshop to enable suppliers to feedback their thoughts and learning on LGR. Participants shared their views on how to strengthen collaboration between councils and suppliers during reorganisation. There was strong support for more consistent market engagement, with suggestions including tech showcases, more group forums involving councils, regional engagement to help councils better share their priorities, and best practice sharing around procurement. Suppliers discussed the importance of designing services around strong end-user journeys, with digital transformation focused on improving outcomes for citizens. The tone was constructive and forward-looking, with suppliers keen to stay engaged and help shape efficient, effective and citizen-focused LGR.
Final reflections
LGR is an opportunity for suppliers to help improve local government and the provision of public services. It will require strong partnerships and communication as suppliers play a vital role in bringing innovation, practical solutions and agility to the process. techUK looks forward to continuing to work with LGA to support the sector during this time of profound change.
If you're a council, supplier or digital leader interested in shaping the future of local government, we’d love to hear from you.
Georgina Maratheftis
Associate Director, Local Public Services, techUK
Georgina is techUK’s Associate Director for Local Public Services
Georgina works with suppliers that are active or looking to break into the market as well as with local public services to create the conditions for meaningful transformation. techUK regularly bring together local public services and supplier community to horizon scan and explore how the technologies of today and tomorrow can help solve some of the most pressing problems our communities face and improve outcomes for our people and places.
Prior to techUK, Georgina worked for a public policy events company where she managed the policy briefing division and was responsible for generating new ideas for events that would add value to the public sector. Georgina worked across a number of portfolios from education, criminal justice, and health but had a particular interest in public sector transformation and technology. Georgina also led on developing relationships across central and local government.
If you’d like to learn more about techUK, or want to get involved, get in touch.
Our Local Public Services Programme helps techUK members to navigate local government. We champion innovation that can create truly digital local public services helping to create thriving, productive and safer places for all. Visit the programme page here
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Georgina is techUK’s Associate Director for Local Public Services
Georgina works with suppliers that are active or looking to break into the market as well as with local public services to create the conditions for meaningful transformation. techUK regularly bring together local public services and supplier community to horizon scan and explore how the technologies of today and tomorrow can help solve some of the most pressing problems our communities face and improve outcomes for our people and places.
Prior to techUK, Georgina worked for a public policy events company where she managed the policy briefing division and was responsible for generating new ideas for events that would add value to the public sector. Georgina worked across a number of portfolios from education, criminal justice, and health but had a particular interest in public sector transformation and technology. Georgina also led on developing relationships across central and local government.
If you’d like to learn more about techUK, or want to get involved, get in touch.
Programme Team Assistant for Public Sector Markets, techUK
Francesca Richiusa
Programme Team Assistant for Public Sector Markets, techUK
Fran serves as the Programme Team Assistant within techUK’s Public Sector Market Programmes, where she is responsible for delivering comprehensive team support, managing administrative functions, and fostering strong relationships with members.
Prior to joining techUK in May 2025, Fran built a meaningful career in the charitable and local government sectors. She worked extensively with both victims and perpetrators of crime, and notably led the coordination of Domestic Homicide Reviews across Surrey—an initiative aimed at identifying lessons and preventing future incidents of domestic abuse.
Outside of work, Fran is an avid traveller and a proud cat mum who enjoys unwinding with her feline companions.
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