Across government, there is a growing focus on how powers, funding and decision-making can be exercised closer to the places they impact. As this evolves, one thing is becoming increasingly clear: digital, data and AI will play an important role in helping local leaders deliver services effectively and achieve better outcomes for their communities.
At the Government Digital Service (GDS), we're pleased to be working with Mayoral Strategic Authorities, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) and No.10 North through a new Digital Devolution programme, announced on 21 August by the Prime Minister. The programme is designed to support places with some of the key digital and data foundations and the products and services needed to deliver their priorities, whilst helping central and local government work together more effectively.
Digital is increasingly part of the delivery challenge
Over recent months we've been speaking with digital and data leaders from Strategic Authorities across England. While every place is different, a number of common themes have emerged. Data sharing remains a significant challenge. Too often organisations working with the same residents cannot easily share information, making it harder to deliver joined-up services and target support effectively.
Many authorities are managing varied technology estates and levels of digital maturity. There is strong interest in the potential of AI, but also a recognition that capability, governance and workforce skills need to develop alongside technology adoption.
We've also seen some excellent examples of innovation already underway locally. Authorities are developing regional data platforms, investing in digital capability, experimenting with AI and creating new partnerships across public services. A consistent message from those conversations has been that local leaders want practical support, stronger collaboration and a clear route for working with central government on shared challenges.
Turning discussion into practical action
Over the next three months, we'll work with Strategic Authorities on a set of activities focused on exploring unlocking access to data and strengthening digital capability. These activities build on existing work already under way across government and local government, and aim to address some of the barriers that authorities have identified themselves.
This includes working with Strategic Authorities in support of the recommendations from the Milburn Review to support young people into training and jobs, on blocked data journeys - helping identify and resolve barriers that can make data difficult to access or use. We'll do this by bringing together digital and data leaders across government and Strategic Authorities, through data access workshops and data readiness diagnostics with localities, and work towards reusable data sharing agreement models that can help simplify engagement between central government and Strategic Authorities.
Support also includes holding events such an Early Years Digital and Data Innovation Day in Sheffield on 9 September together with South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority, bringing together local and national partners to explore how digital and data can support improved outcomes for children and families, and continuing work with departments and Strategic Authorities to support young people into employment, training and education.
Alongside this, we'll invest in capability through initiatives such as local government AI and Data Science Skills Accelerators, AI Engineers in Residence, Get Tech Certified and a new AI Places Accelerator. These programmes are designed to help Strategic Authorities develop the skills, confidence and capacity needed to use digital, data and AI effectively in delivering local priorities. We will also work with partners to strengthen cyber security and data governance capability across Strategic Authorities.
Building the longer-term foundations
One of the strongest messages from our engagement with Strategic Authorities has been the importance of working together on the longer-term conditions that will support public service delivery across organisational boundaries. Common standards, interoperable data, re-usable products, architectural vision, strong cyber security, digital capability and shared approaches to solving common problems all have an important role to play.
Addressing these challenges will require coordinated action across local and national government. GDS is well placed to support that effort, bringing together expertise, sharing learning from what works, and helping to address common barriers that no single organisation can tackle alone. By strengthening the digital and data foundations that underpin public service delivery, we can help Strategic Authorities move faster, make better use of technology and focus on what matters most to them: delivering better outcomes for the communities they serve.
That's why the Digital Devolution programme is not simply a set of individual initiatives. It is an opportunity to bring together local and national leaders to shape a longer-term digital and data agenda. In doing so we’ll draw together a two-year digital and data devolution strategy and roadmap as part of the forthcoming Devolution White paper.
We're looking forward to working more closely with Strategic Authorities and local government as this programme develops, and to continuing the conversation about how digital, data and AI can support better public services across the country.
6 comments
Comment by Derek Madden posted on
Really interesting to read this from Australia, where I’m a local government CEO.
One thing our experience with digital, data and AI has taught me is that technology works best when it gets closer to the people who understand the problem.
That’s why the link with devolution interests me. AI can give local government access to capability that historically sat elsewhere, but the technology alone won’t shift much. You still need trust, permission to question how things are done, good governance and people who understand the communities they serve.
There’s a real opportunity here to rethink the relationship between central and local government — not simply digitise the one we already have.
Comment by GDS communications posted on
Hi Derek
Thank you for your comment and views about how Digital, Data and AI can be better integrated into public sector organisations.
We will pass this on to the team for consideration.
Thank you
Comment by Jonny Crossley posted on
As a business that has experimented with AI processes and integrations in our private sector activities, (as well as hearing the fallout from businesses where it has gone very wrong) I feel that how AI is actually viewed is key to any success.
It's common for AI to be viewed as something that can seamlessly replace people, processes, and entire outputs. This is false and something many in the private sector are finding out to their cost. AI must be viewed as simply a new tool to assist existing processes and to potentially increase the consistency of output for existing teams.
AI companies are always keen to make their capabilities seem far greater than they actually are. My hope is that any public sector implementation is done through the very narrow scope that AI is a minor tweak or additional tool to compliment what currently exists. I appreciate that, particularly for local authorities, the temptation to take a risk on output for the potential savings will be very great.
I hope that any guidelines and scope for the use of AI takes into account risk-assessments of what could go wrong at every step, and a very gradual phased implementation is chosen to avoid any long-term costs.
Jonny Crossley
CEO
<a href="https://www.besharp.io">Be Sharp Digital Marketing</a>
Comment by GDS communications posted on
Hi Jonny
Thank you for your comment and views about how AI can be better integrated into public sector organisations.
We will pass this on to the team for consideration.
Thank you
Comment by john mortimer posted on
One of the key barriers to relational working and an effective public sector in general is what you describe:
"Too often organisations working with the same residents cannot easily share information"
This seems to stem primarily from GDPR rules, from the ICO.
The ICO defined a whole set of standards and rules, based on the threat of personal data being used by private sector organisations without consent. Thats good and well. But what actually developed is a mindset that GDPR stops public sector organisations from sharing. That was never the intent. And not only that, the ICO rules also specify how we can share across organisations.
In my experience, most public sector organisations do not share as their driver seems to be one of fear. Fear of making a mistake, fear of being in the Daily Mail, fear of ... fear itself. And that drives the inability to share information when the person expects it to, the information itself can easily be shared, and also should be shared to create value.
I recently had an example where one signed consent form was rejected by another service, because it was not on the consent form that service expected to see!!
If GDS were able to help local authorities to overcome this fear, and provide a set of guidelines with the ICO on practical and permissive ways to share, that would remove one of the greatest barriers to reform and an effective public service.
Comment by GDS communications posted on
Hi John
Thank you for your comment and views about how GDS can best help local authorities.
We will pass this on to the team for consideration.
Thank you