A new world is being constructed on the instant exchange of electronic data, and the near-universal adoption of the internet and social media means ‘digital transformation' is now the order of the day. ‘The transformation agenda has gone right to the top of the list,' a local authority leader attending a recent roundtable organised by BT and The MJ said. ‘It's not a nice to have, it's a basic necessity.'

The whole context in which local government operates has changed. As another speaker commented, the advent of the smartphone has ramped up the level of service members of the public now expect. ‘Customer expectations are set at a level where we're finding it very difficult to compete with,' he said. ‘Local government has to step up a gear to get in pace with it. It's not just about cost savings and efficiency.'