The Local Government Association (LGA) has added a stream of details to its case for the creation of a Local Government Centre for Digital Technology (LGCDT).
It has made the proposal the central element of its new State of Digital Local Government report, saying the organisation – which it first proposed in June of last year – would help to deal with some of the major challenges facing the sector.
These include dealing with the problems in procuring digital systems, such as inconsistent pricing, legacy vendor lock-in, a lack of collective buying and differences between councils in their procurement expertise.
The report says the LGCDT could support the coordination of better strategic supplier management for councils, encouraging a joint approach in negotiations with legacy suppliers and the central provision of assurance of the products and services. This could also contribute to fostering market competition and providing more scope for SMEs to provide solutions to the sector.
It could also help councils to share their knowledge and co-create digital solutions to improve services, so they can overcome common challenges, helping to deliver efficiencies and improve services.
Contribution to reform
In addition, the LGCDT could support public sector reform by advocating the interests of local government in national policy discussions, ensuring that new policies and regulations would be practical, effective and reflect local needs.
It could also help to promote digital inclusion – a big factor in the delivery of local services – by ensuring it is integrated into other objectives of digital transformation.
Writing in the report’s foreword, LGA chair Cllr Louise Gittins and Conservative group deputy leader Cllr Abi Brown say: “The LGCDT presents a paradigm shift. It envisions a future where local government fully leverages digital tools, to empower communities and drive economic growth, aligning with the Government’s agenda for public sector reform.
“Local government is not simply a mini-Whitehall. Too often government will develop approaches centrally and assume it will fit elsewhere. Time and time again we’ve learned this does not work.
“Local government needs a new devolved operating model, and a Local Government Centre for Digital Technology would enable engagement, coordination and impact.”
Another key message in the report is that local government officials should have equivalent access to training as civil servants. This would help to build their capability and promote the cause of digital transformation in the sector.
