Councils are seizing a unique opportunity for digital transformation

With less than a week to the launch of the Future Fund, this is what councils across the country will be considering as they get ready to attend the briefing day, and then prepare to submit their bids eight weeks later. At stake are three grant fund packages totalling £250,000.

The Future Fund is a result of O2’s Local Government Futures Forum, which aims out to understand what the role of ICT should be in modernising councils in challenging times. As technology advances at a rapid pace, with people creating and consuming data in more diverse and immediate ways, councils must demonstrate communications nous like never before.

The Future Fund initiative is all about helping forward-thinking councils get to grips with new methods of engaging their staff, citizens and communities.

The launch event on 25 April is geared to joining up local services, with three broad themes: reducing cost and improving efficiencies; finding new ways of engaging with citizens; and empowering the community to do more for itself. Each of these topics points to more effective service delivery, by empowering staff, by providing a best in class experience, or by expanding the concept of ‘self-service’.

To support the innovation, O2 will be showcasing 18 different business units, each with their own unique slant on the digital age. From well-established technologies such as wi-fi and M2M (machine to machine), to ‘people’ skills or social media expertise, and right through to big data and apps development, there will be something there for each council to consider and weave into their bid.

What is crucially different is that while the Future Fund will give a glimpse of what is possible, and support the winning bids by providing investment in their IT infrastructure coupled with resource and expertise, it is up to the audience to determine how it could be applied to their council, citizens or community. The launch and subsequent follow-on is absolutely centred on co-design and co-production.

There has been a fantastic response to the Future Fund so far, and 25 April is shaping up to be a day to promote innovation and transformation for local government. How would you use that share of £250,000?

Neil Prior, head of Local Government Futures Forum, O2

Visit: O2.co.uk/futurefund

Email: neil.prior@o2.com

Twitter: @NeilPrior_O2UK

• LGC is supporting the Future Fund from O2. LGCplus.com/FutureFund

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