Digital
The dash from cash
Head of innovation at Civica Liz O’Driscoll explores how public services can better prepare for the acceleration of the cashless agenda.
How Irish innovation is helping the green recovery
Smart traffic solutions are helping councils meet a range of sustainability objectives, says Enterprise Ireland's UK Local Authority Lead Laura Brocklebank.
How Enterprise Ireland is supporting UK innovation
Ireland’s innovation agency, Enterprise Ireland, is a trusted strategic partner for UK councils, writes its Manchester based Local Authorities Lead Laura Brocklebank.
Realising the potential of rural economies
The Institute of Economic Development and the RSN have devised a new toolkit for anyone seeking to raise rural relevance in the economic agenda. Nigel Wilcox says the potential of rural economies must be realised if we are to bounce back better.
Prioritising citizens’ needs amidst the chaos
Sarah Richards reflects on the progress councils have made in how they communicate with citizens digitally and asks how they can prioritise residents’ needs in the second wave.
How the virus pressed the fast forward button
The pandemic accelerated changes that were already happening. The challenge is how to manage the future, as chief executives from across England’s South West discussed in a round table organised by The MJ and BT. Chair Michael Burton reports.
Our council's culture is thriving remotely
With her councils' staff working from home, Gill Kneller says she has 'seen a burst of creativity with staff finding solutions to challenges and embracing completely different ways of doing things - along with different ways of connecting'.
Digital transformation – the new norm
COVID has forced us to change the way we work forever says Ben Manojlovic, and local authorities have increasingly had to look at digital transformation in order to move forwards – but what are the benefits?
Future-proofing Walsall
Remote working can bring challenges, says Dr Helen Paterson. But Walsall MBC’s Workforce Strategy had already started to build agility and helped it become a council that is digital by design.
Hackney cyberattack shows councils must bolster their cybersecurity
Local authorities need to strengthen their cybersecurity posture to deliver high-quality public services and protect sensitive data, says Terry Greer-King.
Levelling up or pushing down?
Stoke-on-Trent has been the victim of the repeated failure of regional economic policy, say Steven Griggs, Stephen Hall and Martin Jones. They ask if localism can deliver alone for the city or anywhere else.
Fears over growing data regulation
Finance chiefs warn public sector will suffer due to misuse of data by private firms.
Lloyd in cyber-attack warning after Hackney hit
The chief executive of the Local Government Association has warned the consequences of a cyber-attack are ‘greater than ever’ after Hackney LBC was hit.
Five ways the cloud can safeguard our NHS
Steve Haines, Managing Director, PSC Health & Care, Civica, discusses the impact of rising cyber attacks and shows five ways the cloud offers the NHS more peace of mind
Using online tools to get businesses and citizens back on their feet
Joe Bedingfield looks at how councils are using online tools to serve citizens throughout and beyond COVID-19, and examines some of the digital usage patterns during lockdown.
Protecting and connecting our over-70s
Local authorities have played a vital role in keeping citizens safe during the pandemic, says Civica's Tony Hughes. By factoring the over-70s more into digital thinking, local bodies can further keep them safe and connected, he adds.
Future Forum: Pandemic forced digital drive
Residents interacting with their council want a similar experience to booking a holiday or shopping slot online, the chief executive of Bexley has told The MJ’s Future Forum.
Booting up for a new career in coding
Mayor of the West Midlands Andy Street explains how coding bootcamps are helping learners from the West Midlands to start exciting new careers in technology.
COVID and Brexit call for radical transformation
Havant BC and East Hampshire DC already have a shared chief executive and senior management team and are now looking to build on their already close partnership, says Gill Kneller. 'We need to be radical', she adds.
Responding to the rise in parental conflict during lockdown
Despite a divergence in referral rates during COVID, research has found that councils are responding dynamically to deliver services, says Virginia Ghiara of the Early Intervention Foundation.
