Published 13/05/2025
Author: Ash Turner
Local and regional governments (LRGs) in the UK stand at the forefront of significant change. With Local Government Reform in full swing and the ongoing devolution agenda, more powers and responsibilities are shifting from central government to local authorities, enabling regions to shape their own futures. Yet this opportunity comes with challenges. For local governments to succeed in this evolving landscape, they must adopt innovative, technology-led approaches that enhance service delivery, streamline operations, and safeguard data.
At CPS, we are committed to empowering councils to meet these challenges head-on. By embracing technology, we help Local Authorities operate more effectively, deliver better outcomes for citizens, and prepare for the demands of tomorrow..
Devolution transfers powers over key areas such as transport, housing, skills, and economic development from Whitehall to local authorities. This shift aims to create more responsive, locally driven governance that reflects the needs of communities. However, devolution is not uniform; different regions receive different powers, leading to a varied governance landscape.
As noted by the Institute for Government, this fragmented model increases the complexity of governance, requiring councils to collaborate across newly formed combined authorities, elected mayors, and overlapping jurisdictions. For Local Authorities, devolution often brings new responsibilities without proportional increases in funding or capacity. Councils must navigate structural changes while continuing to deliver vital services under tight budgets.
Additionally, with recent plans for local government reorganisation, consolidating smaller councils into larger unitary authorities, there is a risk of losing local voice and community engagement. The challenge is to balance efficiency and scale while maintaining connection to the people councils serve.
Many councils are already stretched thin, with significant portions of budgets consumed by statutory services like social care. Devolution adds new layers of responsibility, potentially straining resources further without guaranteed financial support.
New governance models can lead to overlapping responsibilities between councils, combined authorities, and elected mayors. Ensuring clarity, accountability, and seamless collaboration is essential to prevent duplication and inefficiency.
Social care is at the heart of local government services and will be a central focus post-devolution. Councils must deliver compassionate, effective care to an ageing population while managing limited budgets and rising demand. CPS helps enable this through integrated systems that streamline case management and provide real-time data for better resource allocation. In partnership with 4OC, we also help councils redesign their workforce strategies to attract and retain skilled care professionals.
A significant barrier to transformation is the shortage of digital skills. With only 2% of the local government workforce in digital roles compared to 4% in other public sectors, councils struggle to recruit and retain technical talent. CPS helps close this gap through training, support, and upskilling programs, while 4OC ensures change management and organisational development are people-led and inclusive.
As councils collect, process, and share more citizen data, safeguarding information becomes paramount. CPS provides robust security solutions and integrated data platforms that enable evidence-based decisions and proactive governance.
A risk of devolution is the temptation for councils to scale too quickly, leading to bloated structures and inefficiencies. It’s crucial to grow smartly. Together, CPS and 4OC help councils build sustainable operating models that deliver maximum impact with minimal cost. We enable transparency, realistic goal-setting, and accountability to both internal teams and citizens.
Digital transformation is essential for councils to thrive under devolution. At CPS, we provide a comprehensive suite of solutions tailored to the needs of Local Authorities, supporting them in building a modern, secure, and citizen-focused public sector.
Through Microsoft 365, councils can foster seamless collaboration across departments. Microsoft Teams, SharePoint, and Copilot enable efficient communication, document sharing, and workflow management, empowering hybrid and remote workforces. This ensures council staff can collaborate effectively across new governance structures without silos.
Automation of routine tasks such as Freedom of Information (FOI) requests, benefits processing, and case management reduces administrative burden and improves responsiveness. AI-driven insights support better decision-making, enabling councils to prioritise resources and proactively address community needs.
Our Dynamics 365 solutions provide powerful customer relationship management (CRM) tools that streamline citizen interactions across departments. Tailored applications built on Power Platform help councils automate workflows, track outcomes, and deliver services more efficiently, whether managing housing cases, planning applications, or social care referrals.
With stretched IT teams and growing technical demands, councils need reliable, cost-effective support. CPS offers managed IT services that include proactive monitoring, issue resolution, and continuous system improvement. By taking care of IT operations, we free up councils to focus on frontline service delivery.
Our data solutions unify disparate systems, creating integrated data platforms that provide actionable insights. Councils gain a complete, real-time view of their communities, enabling evidence-based policy, targeted interventions, and transparent reporting.
CPS’s security solutions provide councils with robust protection against cyber threats while ensuring compliance with data privacy regulations. Through continuous monitoring, vulnerability assessments, and incident response planning, we safeguard critical data and maintain public confidence.
We support councils in migrating from legacy systems to secure, scalable cloud platforms. Cloud adoption reduces costs, improves resilience, and enables councils to scale services in response to community demands, providing the flexibility needed under devolution.
Our strategic partnership with 4OC brings together technology and people-focused transformation. While CPS delivers the platforms, tools, and data solutions, 4OC specialises in service redesign, stakeholder engagement, governance alignment, and staff upskilling. Together, we offer councils a full-spectrum solution to navigating reorganisation and devolution successfully.
Devolution presents an opportunity to redesign local governance around the needs of citizens. But to seize this opportunity, councils must transform how they operate, deliver services, and manage data. Digital transformation is the enabler of this change.
At CPS, we understand the complexities of local government and the pressures councils face. Our expertise in modern workplace tools, business applications, AI, data, security, and managed IT services positions us as a trusted partner for Local Authorities navigating devolution.
Working hand-in-hand with our partners at 4OC, we help councils align technology and people strategies to modernise services, upskill their workforce, improve transparency, and deliver faster, more meaningful results for citizens. Together, we help councils build trust, manage expectations, and deliver high-impact services while maintaining cost control.
Devolution marks a turning point for local and regional government. While it brings challenges, from resource pressures to governance complexity, it also creates a unique chance to reimagine local services. Through technology, councils can deliver more effective, efficient, and inclusive services.
With CPS and 4OC as your transformation partners, local authorities can successfully transition into confident, capable devolved councils. We bring together the tools, insights, and experience to help you modernise, grow smartly, and serve citizens better.
Let’s build the future of local government together. Contact CPS to start your transition to a successful devolved council.
Book a consultation session today to explore how CPS could support your devolution transition and transform the way your teams work.
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