Innovation and Efficiency

New marketplace improves public sector access to latest tech

11.06.19: The Government has launched a new marketplace for innovation, providing a smarter way for public sector customers to access the very latest technologies. Spark: The Technology Innovation Marketplace has been designed by Crown Commercial Ser...

Introduce ‘smart bins’ and hand out tax cuts to drive up recycling, urges think tank

13.05.19: Local authorities should use a new generation of “smart bins” and council tax cuts to drive up household recycling rates, a think tank’s new report has recommended. Bins fitted with sensors could record household recycling...

New emergency services radio system to be at least £3bn overbudget and three years late as Home Office failings blasted by NAO

10.05.19: An overhaul of the communications system used by the UK’s emergency services will be at least £3bn overbudget and three years late, a report from the National Audit Office (NAO) has revealed. The Emergency Services Network was c...

Surrey CC reveals plans to scrap 200 council buildings and relocate its HQ to save £10m a year

25.04.19: Surrey County Council has unveiled plans to scrap around 200 of its buildings and move to a new HQ in a bid to save tens of millions of pounds. Guildford and Woking have emerged as the frontrunners to host Surrey’s new “civic he...

Bristol City Council makes ‘reckless’ £9m investment into clean energy firm

08.04.19: Bristol City Council is to put a further £9m into its loss-making energy firm in a decision criticised as “reckless” and a “staggering waste of public money.” The council has already invested £27m into Br...

Local income tax could give councils billions in extra funding, IFS report reveals

21.03.19: A ‘local income tax’ could provide councils in the UK with an extra £6bn a year per 1% in order to help them meet rising costs and rising demands, economists have suggested. A report from the Institute of Fiscal Studies (I...

Clean growth collaboration for north west launched by local government and business leaders

15.03.19: A collection of local government, university, and business leaders have joined forces to secure £500m of ‘game-changing’ investment into the future of clean growth in the north west of England. Made up of council leaders a...

Cornwall Council's technology-enabled care

04.03.19: Cllr Rob Rotchell, cabinet member for adult social care at Cornwall Council, tells us how his council is addressing the challenges of adult care and support through its technology-enabled care programme. The upcoming year will continue to b...

Thinking digitally: Greenwich Borough Council

25.02.19: Local authorities across the UK are exploring how digital innovation can improve their constituents’ lives; and the Royal Borough of Greenwich Council is no different. Cllr Stephen Brain, chair of the Digital Cities department at the counc...

Council to consider scrapping Amey super contract after report reveals public services failings

12.02.19: Trafford Council chiefs are considering ripping up a ‘super contract’ it has with a private firm to carry out a mass of council services over 20 years after a review has revealed a catalogue of failings and “high-level issues.&...

Edinburgh Council becomes first UK authority to introduce ‘tourist tax’

07.02.19: Councillors at Edinburgh City Council voted today to approve the first ever UK ‘tourist tax’ which will raise an estimated £14.6m annually. The Transient Visitor Levy (TVL) scheme will include a flat £2 per-night roo...

Nottingham council unveils 2028 target to become UK’s first carbon neutral city

24.01.19: Nottingham City Council has committed to becoming the first ‘net-zero carbon’ city in the UK after setting the ambitious target of 2028 to go carbon neutral. The announcement comes as the city met its energy strategy target goal...

Creating a digital london

18.12.18: Hackney mayor and London Councils’ digital champion, Philip Glanville, takes an in-depth look at some of the projects benefitting from a dedicated funding pot to improve digital infrastructure across the capital’s boroughs. Over...

Digital innovation in the public sector: The future is now

17.12.18: One of the public sector’s key technology partners has recently welcomed a new member to its team. Matt Spencer, O2’s head of public sector sales, speaks to PSE’s Luana Salles about what a day in his life looks like, and how th...

Don’t let a culture of resistance take hold of your organisation

17.12.18: If we want to introduce change throughout local government, then we have to encourage our people to buy-in, writes Danny Longbottom, director of local government and health at BT. In my role I have the privilege of meeting lots of people in...