In general, the public sector is still timid in its adoption of digital practice. We have digital programmes, new tech, and we may even be empowering our staff to use digital solutions. But a total ‘replumbing' of the organisation from top to bottom is rare, and most digital transformation is organic and evolutionary in nature, not a fundamental shift in the way local government does business.

One reason for this is a lack of digital leadership in local authorities and unless this changes, many councils may simply cease to exist in the next 10 years.