11 Apr 2024
by Kate Fairhurst

A 3 Step Guide to Better Government and Industry Collaboration

It isn’t insightful to say that local government is facing significant challenges. Authorities up and down the country are being asked to deliver more for less, particularly in relation to the delivery of their core statutory services. The Local Government Association estimates that the cost of delivering these services has increased by 28.6% since 2021/22: a figure that is only set to increase further.

Unfortunately, it is now quite common for the news to be dominated by the bleak outlook that local government finds itself in: burdensome financial pressures, bankruptcies, and rising council tax.

However, there are reasons to be positive. What consumers likely see less in the news is the plentiful examples of amazing work being undertaken by local authorities on some of our greatest community challenges, whether that be in meeting net zero targets, delivering high-quality support for our most vulnerable, and driving local economies.

Technology has a huge part to play in this journey. By harnessing the opportunities afforded by advanced technology, digital tools and AI, local government can improve service delivery, enhance communication, streamline administrative processes, and narrow the digital divide.

There are some great examples to learn from out there already. Newcastle City Council has used AI technology to create ‘bots’ to streamline and improve customer service delivery and save costs. Derby City Council has recently announced a £7 million investment in AI technology to help staff automate routine tasks and generate information quickly. Worcestershire County Council has cleverly used data and technology to help predict social care demands. There are so many more.

Whilst many local authorities are very forward-thinking in their desire to utilise the newest technologies for good, some barriers make it difficult, including security, privacy, ethical and regulatory concerns.

The good news is that, with every knotty problem local government faces, there is very likely to be an industry provider out there ready to solve it. The snag is that it isn’t always that simple. Those in the private sector especially report blockages as they try to engage with local government. They can speak of a confusion over council decision-making structures, an internal culture of ‘not thinking outside the box’, and a frustration that processes can be longer than they would like.

At Henham Strategy, we are proud to be working with many private sector organisations who want to help local councils deliver more for their residents. We help our clients to understand the ‘nitty-gritty’ of local government, broker the right conversations with the right people, and ultimately bring forward solutions to authorities’ problems.

So, what can help industry better engage with local government?

1) Understand your audience: Local authorities, of whatever size, have a few things in common. There is a lot going on, and officers are driven by the strategic remit of their authority, set by the political leadership. Take the time to understand where your business would fit into the authority’s landscape and what makes your intended audience ‘tick’. In short – why would your solution help their residents?

2) Be honest, upfront and open: Tone and delivery is important. Pure ‘sales’ mode is unlikely to land well, particularly if delivered cold. Speak to local government in plain and simple language, tailored to their needs and objectives.

3) Communicate impact and value for money: Local government love to hear that a solution will save time and money, and deliver a better service – ideally all of those things. Be clear on your impact, rooted in data and evidence, using other councils’ case studies if you can.

Local government is where real impact can happen. Effective Government and industry collaboration holds the key to unlocking much more of this impact. The power and influence of technology will only continue to become more instrumental in the way we deliver local services and strengthen communities. Reach out to your local council today!


Heather Cover-Kus

Heather Cover-Kus

Head of Central Government Programme, techUK

Heather is Head of Central Government Programme at techUK, working to represent the supplier community of tech products and services to Central Government.

Prior to joining techUK in April 2022, Heather worked in the Economic Policy and Small States Section at the Commonwealth Secretariat.  She led the organisation’s FinTech programme and worked to create an enabling environment for developing countries to take advantage of the socio-economic benefits of FinTech.

Before moving to the UK, Heather worked at the Office of the Prime Minister of The Bahamas and the Central Bank of The Bahamas.

Heather holds a Graduate Diploma in Law from BPP, a Masters in Public Administration (MPA) from LSE, and a BA in Economics and Sociology from Macalester College.

Email:
[email protected]
LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/heather-cover-kus-ba636538

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Ellie Huckle

Ellie Huckle

Programme Manager, Central Government, techUK

Ellie joined techUK in March 2018 as a Programme Assistant to the Public Sector team and now works as a Programme Manager for the Central Government Programme.

The programme represents the supplier community of technology products and services in Central Government – in summary working to make Government a more informed buyer, increasing supplier visibility in order to improve their chances of supplying to Government Departments, and fostering better engagement between the public sector and industry. To find out more about what we do, how we do this and how you can get involved – make sure to get in touch!

Prior to joining techUK, Ellie completed Sixth Form in June 2015 and went on to work in Waitrose, moved on swiftly to walking dogs and finally, got an office job working for a small local business in North London, where she lives with her family and their two Bengal cats Kai and Nova.

When she isn’t working Ellie likes to spend time with her family and friends, her cats, and enjoys volunteering for diabetes charities. She has a keen interest in writing, escaping with a good book and expanding her knowledge watching far too many quiz shows!

Email:
[email protected]
Phone:
020 7331 2015
Twitter:
@techUK,@techUK
Website:
www.techuk.org,www.techuk.org
LinkedIn:
https://bit.ly/3mtQ7Jx,https://bit.ly/3mtQ7Jx

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Annie Collings

Annie Collings

Programme Manager, Cyber Security and Central Government, techUK

Annie joined techUK as the Programme Manager for Cyber Security and Central Government in September 2023. In this role, she supports the Cyber Security SME Forum, engaging regularly with key government and industry stakeholders to advance the growth and development of SMEs in the cyber sector.

Before joining techUK, Annie was an Account Manager at a specialist healthcare agency, where she provided public affairs support to a wide range of medical technology clients. She also gained experience as an intern in both an MP’s constituency office and with the Association of Independent Professionals and the Self-Employed. Annie holds a degree in International Relations from Nottingham Trent University.

Email:
[email protected]
Twitter:
anniecollings24
LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/annie-collings-270150158/

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Austin Earl

Austin Earl

Programme Manager, Central Government, techUK

Austin joined techUK’s Central Government team in March 2024 to launch a workstream within Education and EdTech.

With a career spanning technology, policy, media, events and comms, Austin has worked with technology communities, as well as policy leaders and practitioners in Education, Central and Local Government and the NHS.

Cutting his teeth working for Skills Matter, London’s developer community hub, Austin then moved to GovNet Communications where he launched Blockchain Live and the Cyber Security and Data Protection Summit. For the last 3 years he has worked with leaders in Education across the state and independent schools sectors, from primary up to higher education, with a strong research interest in technology and education management.

Email:
[email protected]
Phone:
07891 743 932
Website:
www.techuk.org,www.techuk.org
LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/austin-spencer-earl/,https://www.linkedin.com/in/austin-spencer-earl/

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Ella Gago-Brookes

Ella Gago-Brookes

Team Assistant, Markets, techUK

Ella joined techUK in November 2023 as a Markets Team Assistant, supporting the Justice and Emergency Services, Central Government and Financial Services Programmes.  

Before joining the team, she was working at the Magistrates' Courts in legal administration and graduated from the University of Liverpool in 2022.  Ella attained an undergraduate degree in History and Politics, and a master's degree in International Relations and Security Studies, with a particular interest in studying asylum rights and gendered violence.  

In her spare time she enjoys going to the gym, watching true crime documentaries, travelling, and making her best attempts to become a better cook.  

Email:
[email protected]

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Authors

Kate Fairhurst

Kate Fairhurst

Director, Henham Strategy