Speaking at the
Local Government Association Annual
Conference in Birmingham, Local Government
Minister Rishi Sunak said the new initiative would
change the way councils invest in technology, share
expertise and ensure members of the public are
receiving the best quality digital services.
Over 50 local authorities, government departments and
partner organisations have already signed up to the
pledge, called the Local Digital
Declaration, agreeing a common vision for the
future of local services.
They are now calling on the wider sector to also make
the public commitment.
Local Government Minister, , said:
Whether it’s an app to report fly-tipping, or slick
online services to pay your Council Tax, many local
authorities are at the forefront of digital
innovation.
But there’s much more to do. Digital doesn’t belong
in the basement, it belongs in the boardroom.
I want councils and partners across the country to
sign up to this declaration. By supporting each other
and building on each other’s work we can
revolutionise services for our residents.
While many councils already have excellent online
offerings, the digital declaration is about sharing the
best innovation across the public sector to benefit
people.
For example, the school nursing service in
Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland worked with young
people to help them get health advice by text – Chat
Health. It’s engaging them in ways that suit their
lives and preferences and has worked so well it’s now
been rolled out to 30 areas and a million people.
As part of the initiative, local authorities across the
country will also be able to bid for a share of a new
£7.5 million innovation fund to help develop common
solutions to their shared challenges.
The pioneering new approach will also see a new course
developed to train senior local authority staff in
digital leadership skills.
Alongside this, the Ministry of Housing, Communities
and Local Government will establish a new team to work
with councils to help them deliver on their declaration
commitments.
