Government Technology 18.3

DATA

AI

CYBERSECURITY

www.governmenttechnology.co.uk | 18.3

DIGITAL

THE

DIGITAL

BACKBONE Building the infrastructure of the future

One One monitor, monitor, two two screens. screens.

A A new new customer customer experience. experience.

This space-saving, dual-sided 120Hz monitor with HDMI This space-saving, dual-sided 120Hz monitor with HDMI and USB-C on each side delivers unmatched convenience. and USB-C on each side delivers unmatched convenience.

Two users can share one device, or a single user can Two users can share one device, or a single user can extend or mirror content across both screens for extend or mirror content across both screens for seamless collaboration. seamless collaboration.

E

24B2D5300 24B2D5300 5000 series 5000 series

24’’ 24’’ || 1920 1920 xx 1080 1080 || Full Full HD HD Business Business Monitor Monitor

Comment

EDITOR Polly Jones PRODUCTION MANAGER & DESIGNER Dan Kanolik PRODUCTION CONTROL Deimante Gecionyte

Editor’s Comment Government Technology Issue 18.3

ADMINISTRATION Enkelejda Lleshaj

Welcome to

E

WEB PRODUCTION Freya Courtney ADVERTISEMENT SALES Steve Day Karl Hynes Azad Miah PUBLISHER Kylie Glover GROUP PUBLISHER Karen Hopps To register for your FREE Digital Subscription of Government Technology magazine,

LINKEDIN

Connect with us on Linkedin: @government-technology-uk

go to www.governmenttechnology.co.uk or contact Public Sector Information, 226 High Road, Loughton, Essex, IG10 1ET Tel: 020 8532 0055

www.governmenttechnology.co.uk

PUBLISHED BY PUBLIC SECTOR INFORMATION LIMITED 226 High Rd, Loughton, Essex, IG10 1ET Tel: 020 8532 0055 Web: www.psi-media.co.uk

© 2026 Public Sector Information Limited. No part of this publication can be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any other means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise) without the prior written permission of the publisher. Whilst every care has been taken to ensure the accuracy of the editorial content the publisher cannot be held responsible for errors or omissions. The views expressed are not necessarily those of the publisher.ISSN 1478-7687

Government Technology is a member of the Independent Press Standards Organisation (which regulates the UK’s magazine and newspaper industry). We abide by the Editors’ Code of Practice and are committed to upholding the highest standards of journalism. If you think that we have not met those standards and want to make a complaint please contact Polly Jones or Angela Pisanu on 0208 532 0055. If we are unable to resolve your complaint, or if you would like more information about IPSO or the Editors’ Code, contact IPSO on 0300 123 2220 or visit www.ipso.co.uk

Issue 18.3 | GOVERNMENT TECHNOLOGY MAGAZINE

3

The CRM with game-changing value. https://zma.to/Jes

Contents Government Technology 07

Contents

18.3

13

DIGITAL

NEWS

Sponsored by

19

25

31

AI

DIGITAL

34

36

DATA

DIGITAL

DATA ETHICS

Sponsored by

43

53

58

EMERGENCY SERVICES SHOW

APPS

62

CYBERSECURITY

EV FLEETS

Government Technology magazine

www.governmenttechnology.co.uk Issue 18.3 | GOVERNMENT TECHNOLOGY MAGAZINE

5

Compliance is your asset Public sector organisations rely on complex labour supply chains to deliver essential services, major projects and specialist capacity.

Since 6 April 2026, Joint & Several Liability has tightened HMRC recovery across those supply chains, placing greater emphasis on how councils, NHS Trusts and central government bodies evidence the governance their agencies, umbrellas and SoW providers run on their behalf.

OPRaaS turns that exposure into a structured, audit-ready asset.

The OPRaaS Virtual Compliance Director maps your supplier base, trains your teams, audits controls and maintains the daily evidence file your auditors, board and HMRC expect to see.

Built inside live supply chains since 2019, OPRaaS gives finance, procurement and compliance teams a practical route to defensible governance evidence, supported through recognised Government Commercial Agency procurement routes, including RM6310 Lots 2 and 4, RM6219 DPS and RM6237 DPS. We map. We train. We audit. We evidence.

Scan the QR code or email info@opraas.co.uk to download our Public Sector VCD Info Pack and discover how OPRaaS can transform your LSCA compliance processes without having to hire a new director-level board member.

Download Public Sector VCD Info Pack

+44 (0)1625 900 744 info@opraas.co.uk opraas.co.uk linkedin.com/company/opraas

Augmented imagery of the platform shown does not contain real user data. OPRaaS VCD is provided subject to terms & conditions of use. Full details available upon request. Subject to availability.

News

GOVERNMENT

AI minister to join cabinet Kanishka Narayan has been appointed as Minister for Artificial Intelligence jointly in the Cabinet Office and the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade. He will attend cabinet.

He was previously Parliamentary UnderSecretary of State in the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology from 7 September 2025 to 20 July 2026.

Narayan was elected MP for Vale of Glamorgan in July 2024, becoming Wales’s first ethnic minority MP. Narayan said on X: “AI is likely the most significant technology in human history. Its impact will dwarf other things.

“The best case for it is compelling beyond our dreams: a reindustrialised Britain, stronger national security, public services transformed for the better.

“The risks, too, are real: it is right that the British public shares those worries, for jobs, for the pace of change.

“The central fact is that it is happening.

Nations have a narrow window to decide whether they shape AI or get shaped by it.

Britain is in that window right now.

“While that window is still open, I will act with pace, I will act with ambition, and I will focus relentlessly on securing British influence in shaping AI.”

READ MORE

GOVERNMENT

Government confirms DSIT closure The government has confirmed that the responsibilities of the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) will be redistributed across other departments.

This is to “align with the Government’s core economic and social agenda embedded as vital engines of growth exactly where they can have the most direct impact”.

The justification for the change is that “technology and innovation are not separate sectors of our economy – they are the foundation of all future industry, culture, and public service delivery”.

The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) will be renamed to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade (DBIST) and will focus on new and emerging sectors as part of the reindustrialisation agenda. It will provide end-to-end support from foundational research to starting and scaling-up innovative firms, and supporting infrastructure through stronger links to the British Business Bank and the National Wealth Fund.

The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport has also been expanded to bring together telecoms, media and the Government Digital Service (GDS). This is to “reflect the inseparable nature of culture and technology as drivers of our country and the modern economy.”

It will provide coherent and strategic oversight, across telecoms, media and online safety and will continue to work on the modernisation of government and public services via the GDS...

CONTINUE READING

Issue 18.3 | GOVERNMENT TECHNOLOGY MAGAZINE

7

Helping organisations work smarter Claritas helps organisations simplify complexity, modernise legacy systems, improve access to information and deliver better outcomes through secure technology, expert data services and dependable managed IT support.

What we offer

Digital Symphony

Claritas Data Services

Sovereign Cloud

Migration Services

Configurable platform for case management, ERP, assets, workflows and reporting.

Expert services for data discovery, cleansing, migration, integration and governance.

Secure UK-hosted cloud for sensitive, critical and regulated workloads.

Structured migration of data, applications and workloads into modern platforms.

Human IT

Claritas Data Lake

Data Security

Infrastructure Design

Complete managed IT department delivering support, security and strategic guidance.

Secure data platform combining sources for insight, reporting and integration.

Protecting sensitive data through governance, controls, monitoring and secure access.

Designing secure, scalable infrastructure for networks, cloud and operational resilience.

Simplifying IT Complexity.

It’s What We Do. Registered in England & Wales No. 03191078

VAT Number: GB 708 1857 24

Contact claritas-solutions.co.uk contact@claritas-solutions.co.uk 0330 333 88 30

Head Office Claritas Solutions Ltd 2 Deighton Close, Wetherby West Yorkshire, LS22 7GZ

News

DIGITAL ID

Energy tax cut funded by scrapping digital ID New PM Andy Burnham has pledged to cut tax on household electricity bills.

It is part of plans to help with the cost of living.

VAT will be removed from domestic electricity bills from October 1 in time to impact the next Ofgem price cap. This applies to and is funded for this financial year.

The changes will funded by the cancellation of the Digital ID programme.

Cutting VAT on electricity bills is expected to take around £45 off the yearly Ofgem price cap in October. This is on top of the £150 removed from bills at the last Budget.

Suppliers are expected to pass the VAT reduction on to all customers, including those on fixed tariffs, as they did with the £150 of costs taken off energy bills announced at the last Budget.

Julian David, CEO of techUK said: “While the new government has scrapped its planned scheme, we must not turn away from digital verification technology given the huge benefits it offers. Well-designed digital verification services already available under the DVS Trust Framework enhance convenience, strengthen online security, protect people from fraud and support cross border trade.

“Government and industry must now come together to move faster and accelerate the adoption and use across the economy of digital verification services that industry already provides. This means pushing...

CONTINUE READING

AI

Lord Vallance appointed chair of AI Taskforce The prime minister has launched a new AI Taskforce to position AI at the centre of government.

The Taskforce will be chaired by Lord Vallance, who was the government’s chief scientific adviser from 2018 to 2023. He was minister for science in DSIT between 5 July 2024 and 6 September 2025 and Minister for Science, Innovation, Research and Nuclear in the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) and the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) between 6 September 2025 and 22 July 2026.

He will report directly to the Prime Minister.

The Taskforce will aim to transform public services and unlock growth and prosperity across the country and deliver the PM’s AI agenda.

Prime minister Andy Burnham said: “AI is rapidly changing our world and we need to make sure it works for everyone. The opportunities are huge if we get it right and I want AI to power a new industrial revolution that drives good growth in every postcode.

“Lord Vallance is a true public servant with decades of experience, expertise and a track record of delivery. I’m delighted he’ll be chairing the AI Taskforce, putting AI at the centre of all our work to change people’s lives for the better.”

Lord Vallance said: “I’m delighted to be appointed Chair of the AI Taskforce and Oxford-Cambridge Growth Corridor. This government is sending a signal that’s clearer...

CONTINUE READING

Issue 18.3 | GOVERNMENT TECHNOLOGY MAGAZINE

9

News

CONNECTIVITY

60,000 rural properties get broadband boost

PROCUREMENT

G-Cloud 15 launches The Government Commercial Agency (GCA) has launched its new iteration of the G-Cloud framework, G-Cloud 15.

This is the most significant upgrade to the cloud procurement framework since its inception in 2012 and it is the first G-Cloud agreement to be launched since the Government Commercial Agency (GCA) was formed on 1 April 2026 and the first under the new Procurement Act 2023.

The framework will open for public sector use later this month.

The new iteration consolidates three previously separate frameworks (Cloud Compute 2 and Lots 1-3 and 4 of G-Cloud 14) into a single, streamlined agreement with an updated scope to make it easier for customers to buy cloud services from one agreement.

The framework is valued at approximately £14 billion over a four-year term, with an estimated £3 billion in annual public sector cloud spend coming through.

New measures have been introduced to lower barriers and expand opportunity for SMEs. For example, new and growing businesses can join the framework during an 18-month re-opening window after launch, and at regular intervals throughout its four-year term.

Philip Orumwense, commercial director and chief procurement officer for technology at GCA said: “G-Cloud 15 is a genuine step forward for small and medium-sized businesses wanting to work with the government. For too long, SMEs have faced barriers that hold them back from winning business - complex application...

CONTINUE READING

10

Thanks to Project Gigabit, more than 60,000 homes and businesses in Yorkshire and Lincolnshire now have access to faster broadband.

Winterton in North Lincolnshire, Fosdyke in Lincolnshire and Sessay and Linton on Ouse in Yorkshire have all received upgrades.

Thanks to Project Gigabit funding, provider Quickline has run a series of STEM workshops in East Yorkshire for 80 year 5 and year 6 pupils from Skirlaugh Primary School and more than 130 people from Yorkshire and Lincolnshire have also gained hands-on experience through Quickline’s apprenticeship programme.

88 per cent of premises across the UK are now able to access gigabit-capable broadband. This is up from 6 per cent in early 2019.

Minister of State at the Department for Digital, Media, Culture and Sport, Ian Murray said: “Good broadband is about giving families, workers and local businesses the tools they need to get on, wherever they live.

“This milestone is proof that Project Gigabit has put better digital opportunities into local communities across Yorkshire and Lincolnshire that have had to work around patchy connections for too long – whether that’s running a business from a rural village or taking a job that would once have felt out of reach.”

Mark Bowden, Quickline CEO: “At Quickline, we’ve always believed where you live ...

CONTINUE READING

DIGITAL SOLUTIONS & INNOVATION FOR THE PUBLIC SECTOR | www.governmenttechnology.co.uk

DATA

EA using data to improve rivers and lakes

£5 million to tackle online harms and violence: READ MORE

The Environment Agency has published its latest Water Environment (Water Framework Directive) Regulations (WFDR) classifications, which give information to water companies, farmers and stakeholders to see clearly where the water environment is performing well and where further action is needed.

The data shows that only 14.3 per cent of England’s surface waters achieved good ecological status, meeting the standards set out under the Water Framework Directive Regulations (WFDR).

All 4,658 surface water bodies were assessed against a range of standards covering wildlife, water quality and physical habitat.

The system has a “one-out, all-out” rule where a single failing element can cause an entire water body to fail overall status. For example, the River Foss scores Good on every ecological indicator except phosphate, where it scores Moderate, bringing down the ecological status classification to Moderate.

The data also revealed that 65.4 per cent are moderate (63 per cent in 2019), 17 per cent are poor, 3.1 per cent are bad and 0.1 per cent are high.

The Environment Agency will now use this data to work with water companies, farmers and communities identify to target investment and enforcement to deliver real improvements for rivers, lakes and groundwater.

Phosphate levels in the River Roch improved from poor in 2019 to good in 2025, following a catchment permit that required sewage ...

BTP to trial LFR in underground stations: READ MORE

CONTINUE READING

News

More top news stories from www.governmenttechnology.co.uk

AI to save police time: READ MORE

New social media protections for teenagers: READ MORE Digital ticketing expands in Yorkshire: READ MORE Funding for renewable energy in Scotland: READ MORE £130 million for new vehicle tech: READ MORE

ELECTRIC FLEETS

London Ambulance Service adds 77 electric vehicles to fleet London Ambulance Service (LAS) has added 77 zero-emission vehicles to its fleet, as it works towards creating a carbon-neutral fleet.

The new vehicles comprise 37 electric ambulances and 40 fast-response cars. Their arrival takes the service’s fully electric fleet to 41 ambulances, 81 fast-response cars and three motorcycles making it the largest fleet of its kind in the UK. According to LAS, its electric ambulances can complete a 12-hour shift on one charge. The vehicles are also cheaper to operate and require less maintenance, reducing the time they spend off the road by 75 per cent.

Jason Killens KAM, chief executive of LAS, said the expansion represented an important step towards improving healthcare while reducing the organisation’s environmental impact.

“Expanding our electric fleet is a win for patients, and a win for London and the environment,” he said.

“These vehicles produce zero emissions and help to tackle air pollution that can worsen serious health conditions. They’re also more efficient to maintain, meaning more ambulances are available to respond when people need us most...

READ MORE

Issue 18.3 | GOVERNMENT TECHNOLOGY MAGAZINE

11

Visit our website to get in touch and download our white paper on scaling AI agents in regulated environments.

Specialist Workflow and Consultancy We provide workflow and orchestration advisory and implementation services to help public sector organisations modernise casework, data flows, and citizen services.

Enterprise agentic orchestration.

Everyone is talking about scaling AI into production, but the real challenge is embedding it across the entire lifecycle of delivery, into the long, complex, multi-stakeholder problems that demand security, observability and flexibility at scale. Casci solves this by combining workflow and orchestration technology with AI models and agents, so agentic AI can be deployed, ramped up or rolled back with control. Public sector native by design, we know what it takes to move from experiment into impact.

Coherence without rip and replace.

Fragmented systems force humans to become the glue, working around shortfalls instead of adding value. We lay an orchestration layer over the stack you already have, connecting products into one coherent experience. No rip and replace. No multi-year transformation..

Workflow you can see and change.

When workflow lives in source code, only engineers can see it and nothing flexes.

We lift process out of the application layer into a model the business can read, change and trust. Workflow as infrastructure, not as legacy.

Get in touch at at https://casci.ai/ to find out how we can help you unlock the power of workflow and orchestration technology.

We’re proud to be a Camunda Partner

Digital

Britain’s invisible foundation: the digital infrastructure challenge we cannot afford to ignore Sophie Greaves, associate director for Digital Infrastructure at techUK, shares what a major programme of work is revealing about the state of the UK’s connectivity, compute and data infrastructure: the challenges coming into view, and some of the solutions that could keep Britain competitive by 2035 Every AI tool a department deploys, every predictive diagnostic an NHS trust runs, and every online service a citizen relies on rests on something that rarely makes the headlines: the physical infrastructure beneath it. Connectivity, compute, and data infrastructure are the foundation on which all future economic activity, and all modern public services, will be built. Get that foundation right and the UK has a real opportunity to raise productivity, spread growth across every region and deliver better services at lower cost. Get it wrong, and even the most ambitious digital strategy will struggle to leave the page.

Over recent months, we have been working closely with our members across the connectivity, compute, and data infrastructure landscape to understand where the UK really stands and what it will take to compete over the

next decade. A clear picture is emerging. It is one of genuine strength shadowed by mounting risk, and it should concern and motivate policymakers in equal measure. What follows is some of what we are finding, and some of the solutions that are beginning to come into focus.

A position of strength, and mounting risk The first thing that stands out is how much the UK has to build on. Digitally enabled activity already accounts for an estimated £286 billion in annual gross value added, around 13 per cent of the UK total, and the digital sector has grown roughly three times faster than the economy as a whole. We have the largest data centre market in Europe, a research base at the frontier of quantum, photonics and neuromorphic computing, and real momentum behind fibre and 5G. Full fibre now reaches more than four E Issue 18.3 | GOVERNMENT TECHNOLOGY MAGAZINE

13

Digital

There is a strong case for a long-term, crossgovernment Digital Infrastructure Strategy F in five homes, and outdoor 5G covers 97 per cent of the country.

The harder truth, and the one that is becoming clearer the more we dig, is that these advantages are not guaranteed to last.

Coverage figures mask a performance gap: on median download speeds, the UK ranks 44th in the world for fixed connections and 59th for mobile. Industrial electricity prices sit around 63 per cent above the median of comparable economies, and roughly four times those in the United States, making the UK one of the most expensive places in the developed world to build and run digital infrastructure. Grid connection delays of up to eight years are deterring investment at the pace the economy needs. And on the IMD’s measure of future digital readiness, the UK has slipped from 13th in 2021 to 24th in 2025. Peer economies are reforming and investing at scale. Standing still means falling behind.

The pattern beneath the problems As we have worked through the detail, one insight keeps recurring. Too often, government treats digital as one sector among many, and treats connectivity, compute and data infrastructure as three separate policy domains.

In practice, they are a single, interdependent system. The edge computing that could transform manufacturing or transport depends on dense, low-latency connectivity. AI adoption across public services depends on both the compute to run it and the networks to deliver it at the point of use. A planning decision, an energy reform and a compute commitment that pull in different directions will cancel each other out.

This matters for public sector leaders in particular, because so much of what determines success sits inside government’s own decisions.

Policy frameworks that treat digital as one sector will systematically underinvest in the foundation on which everything else depends.

The goal should not be to grow the digital sector alongside the rest of the economy; it should be to support the digital transformation of the economy itself, public services very much included.

14

Where the solutions lie We are still developing our thinking and will set out fuller findings later this year. But some solutions are already coming into focus, and three stand out.

First, there is a strong case for a long-term, cross-government Digital Infrastructure Strategy that treats connectivity, compute and data infrastructure as one interdependent system rather than three, refreshed regularly to keep pace with fast-moving technology. The 2025 ten-year Infrastructure Strategy was a welcome step, but it did not give digital infrastructure the strategic weight it deserves. A dedicated strategy would give investors the long-term certainty that capital-intensive, long-duration projects require.

Second, someone needs to own this.

Digital infrastructure cuts across at least six departments and several regulators, yet no single minister is accountable for it, and no single mechanism ensures that the sum of individual decisions adds up to a coherent whole. The July 2026 machinery-of-government changes made that harder, not easier. DSIT’s functions were split three ways, with digital foundations moving to DCMS, business and science to the new business department, and AI strategy to the Cabinet Office. AI gained a minister at the Cabinet table for the first time, but the infrastructure it depends on now has no single home at all.

There is a strong case for a dedicated minister for digital infrastructure with a clear crossgovernment mandate and the standing to attend Cabinet, in the way the Chief Secretary attends alongside the Chancellor, supported by a delivery

The public sector as an anchor customer There is another solution we keep returning to, and one that a Government Technology readership will appreciate. The public sector is not only a policymaker; it is one of the largest customers of digital infrastructure in the country.

We are increasingly convinced that coordinated procurement across the NHS, the Ministry of Defence, UKRI and central departments could create the anchor demand that gives operators and emerging technology firms the confidence to invest, particularly in early markets such as 5G standalone and next-generation compute.

Used deliberately, public sector demand can help close the commercial case that the market alone cannot yet close, and help spread investment

The public sector is not only a policymaker; it is one of the largest customers of digital infrastructure in the country

Digital

board drawn from the relevant departments.

Political attention that matches the scale of the economic prize is the missing ingredient.

Third, two barriers do more than almost any others to deter investment: energy and planning. On energy, the most effective lever available to government looks like moving policy levies off electricity bills and onto general taxation, alongside faster grid connections.

On planning, digital infrastructure should be recognised in national policy as the strategic priority it is. One idea gaining traction is a “connected and digital by design” principle, embedded so that new housing, transport corridors and public buildings are built with futureproofed connectivity from the outset.

Retrofitting later is always slower, costlier and more disruptive than designing it in from the start.

more evenly across the country rather than concentrating it in the South East.

A foundation worth building None of this is settled. We will keep testing our thinking with members, government and the wider sector over the coming months before setting out our full findings later this year. But the direction is already clear. By 2035, the UK should aim to have the best digital infrastructure of any comparable economy: networks, compute and data systems that are world-class in performance, resilience and capacity, giving every sector and every region the foundation it needs to adopt new technology at pace. An economy built on that foundation will be more productive, more resilient and a more attractive place to start, scale and invest in world-leading companies.

The UK has the research base, the market depth and the international partnerships to get there. What has too often been missing is the sustained political will to treat digital infrastructure as the strategic national priority it is. That is the challenge we are determined to help government meet, and the time to act is now. M FURTHER INFORMATION

www.techuk.org

15

Advertisement Feature

Industry Insight: modernising public sector IT procurement – greater control, transparency and value through connected procurement Stock in the Channel highlights how digital transformation can give leaders clearer oversight of suppliers, spend and competition

What are the current challenges public sector organisations face when procuring technology?

Public sector technology procurement has become increasingly complex. Buyers must navigate frameworks, approved suppliers, resellers, distributors, changing product availability and pricing, while maintaining governance, demonstrating value for money and ensuring compliant procurement.

The challenge is not simply finding technology; it is maintaining visibility and control across the entire procurement process.

Frameworks may contain multiple authorised suppliers, yet requesting quotations, comparing responses and monitoring expenditure can still involve emails, spreadsheets, individual portals and disconnected systems.

This fragmentation makes it harder to answer fundamental questions: Which suppliers are being used? What is being purchased through each framework? How much is being spent?

Are buyers using authorised suppliers? Are we achieving genuine competition and value?

At Stock in the Channel, we believe technology can address this by connecting public sector buyers, frameworks and authorised suppliers through a single digital procurement environment, supported by accurate technology data, supplier connectivity and automation.

16

How can public sector procurement teams begin to overcome these challenges, and what practical steps can they take?

The starting point should be greater visibility.

Procurement teams need a central view of frameworks, authorised suppliers, purchasing activity, expenditure and upcoming requirements. They should then identify where fragmented or manual processes can be simplified.

Rather than separately contacting multiple suppliers, for example, a buyer should be able to create a requirement once and issue a digital request for quotation to relevant authorised suppliers. Responses can then be received, compared and progressed within the same environment, creating a clearer and more auditable procurement journey.

The same principle applies to framework management. Organisations and framework operators should be able to monitor participating suppliers, purchasing activity and spend against frameworks, while using reporting to understand where public money is being directed.

This is central to our public sector proposition at Stock in the Channel: bringing supplier management, quotation requests, comparison, procurement workflows and reporting together.

Importantly, organisations shouldn’t necessarily need to replace existing technology.

These capabilities can be provided through a hosted procurement environment or integrated with existing ERP, finance, CRM and procurement systems through APIs.

DIGITAL SOLUTIONS & INNOVATION FOR THE PUBLIC SECTOR | www.governmenttechnology.co.uk

How has digital transformation changed procurement in the public sector?

Digital transformation provides an opportunity to rethink how technology procurement and frameworks are managed.

Imagine one digital environment where an organisation can view frameworks and authorised suppliers, search technology, issue quotation requests to multiple suppliers, compare responses, manage approvals and maintain an auditable record of the procurement journey.

Procurement leaders can simultaneously gain visibility of expenditure by framework, organisation, supplier or technology category, helping identify trends, manage budgets and inform future procurement strategies.

Advertisement Feature

What needs to be considered when procuring technology in the public sector today?

Value for money remains fundamental, but achieving it requires more than identifying the lowest price.

Buyers need to consider suitability, availability, security, interoperability, sustainability, supplier capability, support, lifecycle costs and long-term value. They also need confidence in the information informing those decisions.

Technology products, pricing and availability can change quickly. Access to current product and supplier data can therefore make a significant difference to procurement efficiency.

Framework governance is equally important.

Organisations need visibility of authorised suppliers, what is being purchased, how much is being spent and whether procurement activity is taking place through the appropriate routes.

Stock in the Channel already connects an extensive ecosystem of technology resellers, MSPs, vendors and distributors.

Our public sector proposition builds upon that infrastructure to connect authorised suppliers, technology data, quotation processes and procurement insight. Allowing public sector to manage technology procurement for hardware, software, services and subscriptions seamlessly in one platform.

The result isn’t simply a more convenient purchasing experience. It gives procurement leaders greater oversight of their technology supply chain and better data with which to make strategic decisions.

Donavan Hutchinson, CRO, Stock in the Channel Donavan Hutchinson is CRO at Stock in the Channel, with more than 20 years’ experience supporting enterprise and public sector organisations across the technology reseller and MSP channel. He works across the IT ecosystem to improve how organisations connect, procure technology and collaborate through digital platforms, data and automation.

Framework operators can gain greater visibility of how frameworks are being used, which suppliers are participating and where expenditure is taking place.

At Stock in the Channel, this connected model is central to our public sector offering: bringing frameworks, authorised suppliers, technology data, quotation processes, procurement workflows, reporting and integrations together through a hosted procurement environment or integration with existing systems.

Ultimately, digital transformation should give public sector procurement teams something extremely valuable: control.

Control over suppliers. Visibility of spend.

Better access to competition. Better data.

Simpler processes. And a clearer, auditable view of how public money is being spent. M FURTHER INFORMATION

https://discover.stockinthechannel.com/ solutions-for-public-sector/ Issue 18.3 | GOVERNMENT TECHNOLOGY MAGAZINE

17

Advertisement Feature

Cornerstone’s approach to damp and mould is knowledge and it’s making a difference Cornerstone Management Services Ltd, an independent property health surveying company is witnessing repeat damp and mould related issues across a wide spectrum of building types, ages, constructions and orientations Surveys into reported damp, condensation and mould continue to highlight the same underlying causes such that, without a clear understanding of the issues and a well-informed response, applying a single but unsuitable solution is likely to lead to recurring problems, affecting both the building itself and the health of those who live and work within them.

Cornerstone fully recognise visible damp and mould issues within buildings can and do reflect on the everyday well-being and mental health of those living, working and learning within them with repeat issues tending to have a greater impact on the negative feelings than the first outbreak did.

Because damp and mould can arise from several underlying causes, a single remedial measure is not always effective. For recurring annual issues, a broader ‘reset’ approach is often an important consideration.

A key consideration is that once damp and mould appear, the issue has already become reactive and, where problems recur, taking a proactive approach becomes far more difficult.

As we work to insulate older buildings and reduce carbon emissions, it is essential to understand each building’s structure, location, ventilation systems and occupancy levels before making changes because without that understanding, well-intended improvements have significantly worsened existing problems.

Our experience, research and technology are brought together in a unique Property Health

18

App, giving users 24/7 access to the likely causes of damp, condensation and mould, along with clear, timely advice to help prevent recurrence and support effective treatment.

Whether the setting is a classroom, hospital ward, office or bedroom, the app’s guidance applies across all room types. It helps users recognise that mould is a symptom of an underlying issue and provides credible solutions through a practical ‘did you know’ approach that explains where it developed and why.

To support a more informed and proactive approach to this recurring annual issue, CPD-accredited training is also available for staff at all levels ranging from administrative teams, who can provide immediate practical guidance, to technical staff responsible for metering equipment, environmental management and effective mould remediation. M FURTHER INFORMATION

www.propertyhealth.co.uk E: info@cornerstone-ltd.co.uk T: 0344 846 0955

DIGITAL SOLUTIONS & INNOVATION FOR THE PUBLIC SECTOR | www.governmenttechnology.co.uk

Digital

The digitisation of public sector FM Mike Agate from IWFM explores how data, sensors and digital tools are transforming public‑sector facilities management, strengthening compliance, efficiency and strategic decision‑making across complex estates Across the public sector, estates and facilities teams are embracing a decisive shift towards data-driven practice. For organisations responsible for complex, multi-site estates, the pressures are familiar. Ageing buildings, rising operational costs, heightened compliance expectations and increasing scrutiny from the public and ministers alike. Against this backdrop, digitisation is no longer considered an optional modernisation. It has become a practical route to improving safety, efficiency and service quality across the government estate.

From local authorities managing diverse property portfolios to central government bodies overseeing some of the country’s most

critical infrastructure, estates professionals are now weaving data, sensors and digital tools into everyday workflows. The outcome, when implemented effectively, is not simply better visibility of assets, but an ability to predict risks, optimise resources and respond more swiftly to organisational needs.

Building a rich picture of the estate It’s been normal for many public sector FM teams to operate with partial or fragmented data. Asset registers built over decades, variations in recordkeeping standards, and the challenge of maintaining up-to-date information across dispersed sites have all played a part. E Issue 18.3 | GOVERNMENT TECHNOLOGY MAGAZINE

19

Published by

020 8532 0055 | www.psi-media.co.uk

For all the latest news on digital solutions and innovation in the public sector

Sign up for your free digital subscription by visiting our website www.governmenttechnology.co.uk

Sensors: from reactive to predictive Internet-enabled sensors are playing an increasingly important role across public-sector facilities management. Installation costs have reduced, integration has improved, and estates teams are now using sensors not only for energy monitoring, but for broader operational insights.

Water safety: remote temperature sensors support robust Legionella management,

Compliance remains one of the most resource intensive aspects of public sector FM

Digital

F As the use of cloud-based CAFM and IWMS platforms are becoming widespread, estates teams can centralise building data, track statutory compliance tasks and improve audit readiness. What matters most is the shift from static records to dynamic information. For example, digital asset condition surveys allow updates to be captured in real time, supporting both day-to-day maintenance and long-term investment planning.

For government bodies with hundreds of buildings, even small improvements in data quality can result in substantial operational gains. When teams can trust the accuracy of their asset information, they are better placed to anticipate risks, target interventions and demonstrate compliance with greater confidence.

providing reliable data without the need for daily manual checks.

Occupancy: sensors give insight into how spaces are genuinely used, helping organisations align their estate with changing working patterns.

Environmental monitoring: indoor air quality, humidity and CO2 sensors are supporting better wellbeing outcomes and improved building performance.

Plant and equipment: vibration and condition sensors help maintenance teams identify early signs of failure, enabling more planned interventions.

For public sector estates teams operating with tight budgets, predictive maintenance is increasingly attractive. Maintenance regimes built around actual performance, rather than rigid schedules, can reduce downtime and extend the lifespan of critical assets. At the same time, sensor data helps organisations demonstrate a clearer chain of responsibility – essential to effective compliance management.

Compliance, transparency, auditability Compliance remains one of the most resource intensive aspects of public sector FM. From fire safety and water hygiene to accessibility, electrical testing and building regulations, the volume of statutory duties can be onerous.

Digitisation is helping teams move away from spreadsheets and paper-based processes towards more automated, verifiable systems.

In practice, this includes: digital compliance dashboards providing at-a-glance oversight of outstanding actions; automated reminders for time sensitive tasks such as planned preventative maintenance activities and safety checks; digital documentation trails that support audits and government reporting requirements; and geo tagged photo evidence that proves inspections were completed on site and to a defined standard.

This shift strengthens organisational resilience. When teams change, data remains consistent. When audits arise, evidence is already in place. And when incidents occur, estates teams can demonstrate that systems, processes and responsibilities were clear. E Issue 18.3 | GOVERNMENT TECHNOLOGY MAGAZINE

21

Digital

22

Digitisation is also encouraging greater collaboration

demonstrating the relationship between building conditions, service levels and organisational outcomes, FM is strengthening its strategic voice across government.

F Improving service quality and user experience Public-sector facilities management is not only about compliance and asset performance.

It is also about creating spaces that will be experienced differently by staff, visitors and the community. Digital tools are enriching this dimension of FM too.

Mobile apps allow users to report issues quickly, with photos and precise location details, improving response times. Occupancy data helps teams make better decisions about cleaning frequencies and space allocation.

Digital wayfinding tools and improved accessibility information are making public buildings easier for citizens to navigate.

In many organisations, estates teams are now able to use data to hold more informed conversations with senior leaders. By

Joined-up practice across the public estate Digitisation is also encouraging greater collaboration. Central government bodies are sharing insights with local authorities, arm’s-length organisations and professional networks, helping to establish more consistent approaches to asset information management.

Technology alone does not deliver successful outcomes. What matters is how teams interpret data, translate it into action and embed it within wider organisational processes. This is why competency frameworks, good practice guidance and communities of practice remain essential. Estates professionals increasingly recognise that digital transformation is as much about people and capability as it is about systems and devices.

DIGITAL SOLUTIONS & INNOVATION FOR THE PUBLIC SECTOR | www.governmenttechnology.co.uk

Digital

The rise of AI – building confidence in the data era As facilities management becomes more digitally mature, the need for strong information governance grows. Estates teams must ensure that their data is accurate, responsibly managed and aligned with wider objectives – it calls for both technical discipline and professional judgment.

As organisations explore the emerging capabilities of artificial intelligence, the quality and stewardship of their data become even more critical. AI-enabled, integrated FM environments depend on clear, consistent and trustworthy information to generate reliable insights and automate routine activity.

Without strong governance, there is a real risk of introducing errors, bias or gaps that undermine performance and decision making.

Robust frameworks ensure that data from across estates, workplace and building systems can be connected in a controlled and meaningful way. This creates the foundation for safe innovation, supports compliance

obligations and helps professionals apply AI in a way that truly serves organisational outcomes.

The good news is that the public sector is not navigating this shift alone. Professional bodies, including the Institute of Workplace and Facilities Management, have developed guidance to help estates teams embed structured approaches to data, digital integration and information governance. And formal strategic partnerships, such as the one that exists between IWFM and the Cabinet Office, are helping to deliver skills, training and professional accreditation to create an FM workforce capable of delivering digital transformation at scale.

Jake Drummond FIWFM, is Deputy Government head of Property Profession (GPP) and is responsible for the GPP’s partnership with IWFM. He said: “Partnerships like this one are how we raise the bar for facilities management across government. By bringing together IWFM’s professional expertise and the reach of the Government Property Profession, we’re creating genuine pathways for the next generation of FM leaders to develop the skills, knowledge and confidence they need to excel.

The challenges facing the public sector estate are significant, but so is the talent within it. This partnership is about investing in that talent – equipping people not just for the roles they hold today, but for the leadership responsibilities they will take on tomorrow.’

A proactive, insight-driven future The digitisation of FM is already well underway.

Across the public sector, estates teams are demonstrating how data, sensors and digital tools can drive measurable improvements in safety, efficiency and user experience.

What sets the leaders apart is not the scale of their digital investment, but the clarity of their approach, starting with good information, building capability within teams and ensuring that technology supports clear operational and strategic goals.

In the face of ongoing financial pressures and heightened expectations around transparency and accountability, FM’s role as a data-driven discipline will only become more significant, and the opportunities are substantial.

Digitisation provides a practical route to greater resilience, more sustainable operations and, ultimately, better services for the public. M FURTHER INFORMATION

www.iwfm.org.uk Issue 18.3 | GOVERNMENT TECHNOLOGY MAGAZINE

23

A champion for design in your organisation The best digital products and services combine the imagination to think big with the ability to act on those thoughts. We can turn your ideas into reality. Let us be your committed allies – we’ll be alongside you and your team every step of the way.

User research and human insight

Product design and design systems

Internal service design

Truly transformational products and services start with a deep understanding of the people who use them and their needs.

Make elegant digital products and services that exceed your customers’ expectations. We design with you, not for you.

Outside of work, your staff interact with sophisticated interfaces every day. Your internal tools need to match their expectations.

Digital service design improving the lives of local citizens

Increasing awareness, encouraging action and creating change

Setting the vision for an industry-leading staff experience

We turned an underperforming council service into one of the best in the country.

We designed an interactive site to create awareness of biodiversity and create advocates for the planet.

We helped LNER better understand how digital can help staff deliver a great customer experience

Your strategic design partners

clearleft.com

L EF

Digital

Modernising public sector delivery Agile delivery, user‑centred design, specialist digital skills and continuous research are helping public sector teams create services that are efficient, accessible and ready for future demands Digital services have become the central pillar of modern public‑sector transformation. These tools give organisations the tools to move quickly, solve complex problems and build efficient services for the people who rely on them.

Agile delivery Agile delivery helps public‑sector organisations respond to changing priorities, emerging policy needs and evolving user expectations. Instead of long, linear programmes, agile teams work in short, iterative cycles that allow them to release improvements quickly and learn from live feedback. This approach reduces risk, as decisions are based on evidence gathered throughout delivery rather than those made at the start.

Agile delivery also supports collaboration.

Cross‑functional teams can bring together delivery managers, designers, researchers and engineers to solve problems collectively.

By focusing on continuous improvement, agile delivery ensures services keep pace with changing technology and user needs.

User‑centred design User‑centred design ensures that public‑sector services are shaped around the people who use them, not the structures of the organisations that deliver them. This means understanding real behaviours, constraints and motivations, and designing services that feel intuitive, accessible and supportive.

In practice, this involves mapping user journeys, identifying pain points and testing E Issue 18.3 | GOVERNMENT TECHNOLOGY MAGAZINE

25

Specialist digital skills Modern public‑sector services rely on a wide range of specialist skills, from software engineering and technical architecture to content design, cyber security and product management. These roles ensure services are robust, secure and built on the right foundations.

Specialist skills also help organisations adopt new technologies responsibly. Whether exploring automation, cloud platforms or data‑driven decision‑making, expert teams can assess risks, design appropriate controls and ensure solutions align with government standards.

Modern public‑sector services rely on a wide range of specialist skills

Digital

F prototypes with real users. These insights help teams remove unnecessary steps, simplify language and create digital experiences that work for everyone, including people with low digital confidence or accessibility needs.

User‑centred design also strengthens policy delivery. When teams understand how people interact with a service, they can spot where policy intent and user reality diverge. This helps organisations refine guidance, adjust processes and make sure services achieve their intended outcomes.

Importantly, these skills support long‑term transformation. By building strong digital capability, organisations reduce reliance on legacy systems, improve resilience and create space for innovation. Teams with deep technical expertise can modernise infrastructure, streamline operations and support more efficient service delivery.

User research User research drives better decision‑making.

Through interviews, observation, surveys and usability testing, researchers uncover how people actually experience public‑sector services. These insights help teams understand barriers, identify unmet needs and prioritise improvements that will have the greatest impact.

Research also supports long‑term transformation by giving organisations a clear picture of how services perform over time.

Continuous research helps teams track E

27

DOS7 · RM1043.9

A working digital service in weeks that outlives the contract.

A new service, or the one you already run, rebuilt — working and validated, where the same build traditionally takes many months and hundreds of thousands of pounds. Senior practitioners, frontier AI, and your people holding every decision that matters.

AI where it earns its place.

Documentation that runs.

Cleared to SECRET.

Fully human; agents triaging, drafting and chasing alongside your team; or fully automated with your people on QA. Whichever it is: governed steps, plain-language quality criteria, a human fallback, an audit trail.

Specs, user stories, tests, architecture diagrams, service processes — versioned with the code and written so your people and their AI tools can both act on them. It doesn’t rot, whoever ends up running it.

We’ve led high-risk services for UK government at SECRET. Most work doesn’t need that — but the discipline is the same either way, from what data reaches a model to how our own infrastructure is configured and monitored.

Have a service that should work better? Tell us about it and we’ll set up a call.

Buy through DOS7 (RM1043.9), or outside IR35 — £600 per person, per day + VAT

28

DIGITAL SOLUTIONS & INNOVATION FOR THE PUBLIC SECTOR | www.governmenttechnology.co.uk

teomachdesign.com

Digital

F changes in user behaviour, monitor the impact of policy shifts and ensure services remain relevant and effective.

Long‑term transformation When combined, agile delivery, user‑centred design, specialist skills and strong research create a powerful foundation for transformation. They help organisations move quickly without losing sight of quality, build services that reflect real user needs and make confident decisions based on evidence rather than assumption.

For public‑sector teams, these capabilities are not just delivery tools, they are strategic assets.

They support modernisation, improve efficiency and help ensure that essential services remain reliable, accessible and fit for the future.

Procurement All these services are available on the Government Commercial Agency’s Digital Outcomes and Specialists 7 framework.

It brings together outcome‑based delivery, specialist roles, capability support and user research facilities into one streamlined route, making it easier for organisations to access the expertise they need to design, build and improve digital services.

Research also supports long‑term transformation Services are spread across four lots. Lot 1 is for Digital Outcomes and is used when an organisation needs suppliers who can take responsibility for delivering a defined, outcome‑based digital project, working in line with agile practices and government digital standards.

Lot 2 is for Digital Capability and Delivery Partners and can be used to procure suppliers who can bolster long‑term digital transformation programmes, support capability‑building, and provide strategic resource augmentation over an extended period.

Lot 3 is for Digital Specialists and allows buyers to bring in individuals with digital expertise in specific roles to strengthen existing teams and contribute targeted skills to projects, services, or transformation initiatives.

Lot 4 is for User Research Studios and Participants and can be used when organisations need access to dedicated research facilities or help recruiting participants to support the testing and development of digital services. L Issue 18.3 | GOVERNMENT TECHNOLOGY MAGAZINE

29

SOFTWARE • AI • CLOUD • CYBER SECURITY

BUILD. SECURE. We design, build and secure the software public services run on.

From custom applications to cloud platforms and cyber security.

One trusted partner, end-to-end, for every phase of your project.

WHAT WE DELIVER Custom web, mobile and enterprise software built

Smarter decisions through machine

to scale.

learning and analytics.

Scalable migration and always-on managed

Modernise legacy systems and streamline

support.

operations.

Skilled engineers to extend your in-house

Proactive protection and continuous

capacity.

monitoring.

L EF

OUR ACCREDITATIONS ISO 9001

Cyber Essentials Plus

ISO 27001

Certified Quality

Certified

Information Security

CROWN COMMERCIAL DOS 7 Digital Outcomes Supplier

G-Cloud 14 Cloud & Digital Supplier

Let’s build what’s next.

Software Development | AI & Data | Cloud Solutions | Cyber Security | Managed IT | Digital Transformation | Team Augmentation

inetsoftwaresolutions.co.uk

|

020 3838 1799

|

contact@inetsoftwaresolutions.co.uk

AI

Sponsored by

AI flood readiness model helps identify undefended buildings A new AI-powered data model from Ordnance Survey (OS) has helped to identify 1.2 million undefended buildings in England at risk of flooding The findings come from the Intelligent Flood Readiness Model, created by Snowflake, the AI Data Cloud company, built on Ordnance Survey (OS) data.

The model combines OS’s highly-detailed and frequently-updated buildings data with a range of government data and current Flood Risk Management Plans (FRMPs). Based on model analysis of available datasets, the output suggests that as many as 1.2 million buildings in England are at risk of flooding, but fall outside any current flood defences.

The model layers mapping, flood risk and social deprivation data and estimates that up

to 68 per cent of these buildings could be highly vulnerable to the after-effects of flooding – at elevated flood risk, but also located in deprived areas and potentially lacking the resources and social infrastructure to help recover quickly.

As many as 84 per cent of these buildings were built before 2001, when legislation ensured flood risk was factored into planning permissions. The model also suggests that 15 per cent of the atrisk premises date from before 1919, and 23 per cent from 1919 to 1959, so were potentially built before their location became a flood risk.

The model combines six entirely separate, critical data streams and synthesises them E Issue 18.3 | GOVERNMENT TECHNOLOGY MAGAZINE

31

AI

The model sets out five key recommendations for policymakers to explore in order to better address the growing flood risks facing England

32

F into a single, shared “structural intelligence” layer. By cross-referencing OS’s authoritative building datasets with the Indices of Deprivation in England, the analysis was able to identify where physical vulnerability (building height and type) intersects with social risk. This was then layered against Environment Agency (EA) flood data, the EA’s Rivers and Sea defended and undefended flood risk extents, and an

AI-driven text analysis of over 3,000 pages of statutory FRMP documents.

It is hoped that the model will help policymakers better understand, over relatively small, detailed areas, not just the likelihood of flooding, but how vulnerable neighbourhoods may be to its effects.

At-risk areas Areas around the east coast of Yorkshire and the Humber have the highest estimated concentration of undefended, vulnerable properties.

Around two thirds (64 per cent) of buildings affected are classed as residential, 15 per cent are commercial, 10 per cent industrial and approximately 5 per cent infrastructure.

The model sets out five key recommendations for policymakers to explore in order to better address the growing flood risks facing England.

First, it suggests using the ability of advanced models to analyse highly granular data so that policymakers can move away from treating large geographic areas as homogenous and instead account for vulnerabilities at neighbourhood or even individual‑building level. This would not require thousands of bespoke plans; for example, a single protocol for period properties with basements could be applied wherever those property types are identified.

Second, policymakers should identify clusters of vulnerability, particularly where

AI

Sponsored by

The model advises factoring social deprivation into resilience planning these clusters cut across arbitrary boundaries such as local authority borders or Flood Risk Management Plan zones. Third, the model highlights the need to examine investment in surface‑water infrastructure. Because most at‑risk properties are exposed to surface‑water flooding, targeted spending on often‑unseen assets such as improved drainage could deliver significant benefits.

Fourth, it recommends incorporating vertical risk assessment by considering a building’s height as well as its footprint, and by developing specific emergency protocols for high‑rise structures. Finally, the model advises factoring social deprivation into resilience planning, as levels of deprivation strongly influence how well an area can respond to and recover from flooding. Two places may share similar natural geography and building types but have very different levels of resilience depending on their socioeconomic conditions.

Tim Chilton, managing geospatial consultant, Ordnance Survey said: “Ordnance Survey is excited to collaborate with Snowflake to develop an innovative AI model that could help Local Authorities better understand, plan for, and manage floods. Built on OS’s authoritative and trusted geospatial data and developed using Snowflake’s technology, the model provides insights into how well areas and properties are protected and where to prioritise investment in critical flood defences.

By delivering geospatial intelligence difficult to derive manually, decision-makers can access data-driven, actionable insights - without the burden of analysing endless spreadsheets. The model maps vulnerable zones and identifies areas at greatest risk, helping local government shape policy, direct resources, and safeguard communities.”

Fawad Qureshi, Global Field CTO, Snowflake said: “Data is at the heart of making informed decisions. As this project shows, it’s rare that one body holds all the relevant data or that this data is in the same format. But we’re now in an era where technology can bring together the right people and the right data to collaborate on making better informed decisions.” L Issue 18.3 | GOVERNMENT TECHNOLOGY MAGAZINE

33

Data Main image and opposite page © Ordnance Survey

Smarter land insight for biodiversity net gain Ordnance Survey has launched a new land and habitat data tool to help developers, ecologists and landowners meet England’s Biodiversity Net Gain requirements and assess habitats more efficiently Ordnance Survey (OS) has developed a new land and habitat data tool to help with Biodiversity Net Gain.

The tool could be used by rural and urban developers in England to support their target of providing a ten per cent Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG).

Legislation BNG legislation from Defra means that as part of planning applications, land and property developers must assess baseline habitats using Defra’s biodiversity metric, submit a

34

biodiversity gain plan, deliver ten per cent gains on- or offsite through credits, and maintain and monitor habitats for 30 years. Defra has confirmed that BNG will become mandatory for Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects from this November.

The new tool, OS Enhanced Land Cover (ELC) Beta provides a tool to support the new BNG challenges. It is a foundational dataset combining topography and land cover from the OS National Geographic Database, OS aerial imagery and OS terrain 5 with a range of third- party open habitat data. This includes

DIGITAL SOLUTIONS & INNOVATION FOR THE PUBLIC SECTOR | www.governmenttechnology.co.uk

Data

OS Enhanced Land Cover tool showing an example of the land cover classifications available

information from Natural England’s Living England, the Rural Payments Agency’s Crop Map of England and UKHab’s classification system.

The tool can also be used to conduct BNG assessments – both for early workflow desktop analysis and for use by ecologists in the field.

Developers, landowners, and ecologists can also better understand the composition of their land cover at scale before conducting more detailed surveys.

In action Wessex Water has already used OS ELC data to understand the biodiversity of hundreds of sites in one spatial picture and apply this data to their 30-year projections for BNG. Dr Jack Parkin, product manager for the built and natural environment at OS, said: “The Government’s home-building target, combined with Defra’s BNG legislation, has made a market condition where ecologists are in high demand.

One of the benefits of OS Enhanced Land Cover is to boost the productivity of those ecologists and to make their time count. We aggregate multiple geospatial datasets together to provide a provisional assessment of habitats on the ground which saves ecologists time both in desktop analysis and pre-screening in the

Wessex Water has already used OS ELC data to understand the biodiversity of hundreds of sites field. This can shave days, or even weeks, from development times, and with 1.5 million homes in the pipeline, that could really add up.”

Dr Jack Parkin, product manager for the built and natural environment at OS, said: “The Government’s home-building target, combined with Defra’s BNG legislation, has made a market condition where ecologists are in high demand.

One of the benefits of OS Enhanced Land Cover is to boost the productivity of those ecologists and to make their time count. We aggregate multiple geospatial datasets together to provide a provisional assessment of habitats on the ground which saves ecologists time both in desktop analysis and pre-screening in the field. This can shave days, or even weeks, from development times, and with 1.5 million homes in the pipeline, that could really add up.” M FURTHER INFORMATION

www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk Issue 18.3 | GOVERNMENT TECHNOLOGY MAGAZINE

35

Data Ethics

Making data ethics real: what you can learn and lift from Hackney Drawing on conversations with Rehana Ramesh, director ICT, Digital and Customer Services at Hackney Council, Diana Rebaza, senior research analyst with Socitm, explores how a Data Ethics Board can support innovation, manage risk and strengthen public trust Hackney’s experience offers you a practical way to embed data ethics across your organisation.

Helping you to build trust and make responsible (and ethical) evidence-based decisions.

Local government has always used data and information to make decisions.

But the quantity of data you have access to now is vast.

Using any of it will directly affect residents’ service experiences and their trust in you.

Data helps councils like yours better understand residents and make evidence-based decisions to improve outcomes for people and communities.

But good intentions and better technology are not enough when working with data.

You need to consider: who’s using it; how they are using it and whether they are allowed to use it the way that they’re using it.

If you’re using data to design a process or to make a decision, how do any of us know that you’re doing that in an ethical way?

At Hackney, they’re dealing with this as a governance issue instead of a persistent theoretical debate that never really gets resolved one way or another.

Why and how did Hackney create a data ethics board?

Data effects everybody in your council.

When you have thousands of staff, you’re all using it in your day-to-day work; inputting and interpreting data on behalf of residents, members, colleagues, senior leadership.

It’s everyone. So, everyone needs to have a good understanding of what data is and how to use it.

36

Hackney was able to build on existing knowledge, sector learning and senior commitment. No wheel was reinvented and noone faced a blank page.

They invested in a data platform, but also in the skills, governance and insight needed to make effective use of it.

Data Ethics

After benchmarking with organisations and colleagues experienced with ethics boards, they chose the Open Data Institute’s (ODI) data ethics canvas framework because of its simplicity.

The ODI described their canvas as: “…a tool for anyone who collects, shares or uses data.

It helps identify and manage ethical issues – at the start of a project that uses data, and throughout. It encourages you to ask important questions about projects that use data and reflect on the responses.

“These might be: What is your primary purpose for using data in this project?

Who could be negatively affected by this project?

“The Data Ethics Canvas provides a framework to develop ethical guidance that suits any context, whatever the project’s size or scope.”

Rehana described it as: simple and practical; trialled through a 3-month pilot; supported

by ODI-led training; structured around 16 questions; strong on identifying negative impacts, positive impacts, mitigation actions, and communication responsibilities; and used as a standard assessment process for data projects before they reach the advisory board. E

Hackney was able to build on existing knowledge, sector learning and senior commitment

37

Data Ethics

Hackney also trained their board members through the ODI, rather than assuming that they know what data ethics is F By asking project teams to work through a common framework before coming to the board, Hackney has created a consistent way to surface the issues that matter most.

Who’s on the data ethics board?

It’s chaired by Hackney chief executive Dawn Carter-McDonald and co-chaired with Rehana.

Membership includes legal, information governance and key senior service representation, alongside perspectives from academia, the NHS, and local government partners (including Socitm).

Hackney also trained their board members through the ODI, rather than assuming that they know what data ethics is. It also keeps a register of recommendations so advice can be acted on and reviewed.

The board is advisory rather than decisionmaking.

How does it really work?

A couple of anonymised examples.

38

Debt A dashboard shows one household owing £15,000 and another £2,000. While it seems obvious to target the bigger debt, what’s going on underneath those numbers. The smaller debt might be masking a family in more trouble because they’re not putting their heating on or eating just two meals because they want to pay their debt.

The numbers are accurate, but the ethical question is whether it’s showing the whole picture.

Social care Board conversations about Hackney’s pilot using Magic Notes in social care focused not just on whether the tool could improve note-taking, but on whether residents had been told about it, whether they could opt out, and whether the council had disclosed on the website that they might be using AI tools.

This is where a data ethics board can add value. It does not replace operational judgement, but it prompts you and your teams to think about who might be missed, what hidden harms might exist, and how you can mitigate risk while still taking action.

What’s next?

All the internal systems and processes are mostly in place for internal data management.

They’re always going to be a work in progress.

DIGITAL SOLUTIONS & INNOVATION FOR THE PUBLIC SECTOR | www.governmenttechnology.co.uk

Data Ethics

Don’t reinvent the wheel: use existing frameworks and tools to move more quickly Both approaches are intended to help embed into the culture that outcomes need to be measured, the impact needs to be understood, and it needs to be well communicated (internally and externally).

A clearly defined strategy sets out Hackney’s vision for working with data. Rehana wants everyone to know what’s going on and why.

They can then be confident in using data for making evidence-based decisions about services and people. And know where to go (the Data Ethics Board) for support.

They are working on an external data charter – a resident-facing version of their internal strategy. Because it’s residents’ data.

They own their information and there’s a role that they play in making sure Hackney holds the right information and builds trust with them.

Your 6 lessons for creating (and evaluating) a data ethics board Don’t reinvent the wheel: use existing frameworks and tools to move more quickly.

Testing: Hackney uses pilots to better understand what works in the real world.

Training: Rehana’s ambition is for data ethics to become mandatory training.

Secure senior sponsorship: a board backed by senior leadership is more likely to be taken seriously.

Keep the board advisory so it enables delivery rather than slowing it down.

Share what you’re doing with colleagues across the sector.

The podcast version of the original conversation will be available in September. M About Hackney Council Hackney is home to around 267,000 residents and one of the UK’s most diverse and densely populated urban areas. Alongside this diversity, Hackney faces significant social and economic challenges.

About Socitm The Society for Innovation, Technology, and Modernisation is a membership charity for people working in UK local public services.

We support members with our philosophy to simplify, standardise, share and sustain best practice wherever we find it. Bringing what works into members’ teams, places and communities.

Socitm is the only UK member of LOLA, the Organisation of Local Authority ICT Societies.

LOLA includes organisations from Australia, Belgium, Canada, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Sweden, UK and USA. FURTHER INFORMATION

ODI Data Ethics Canvas ODI Data Ethics Canvas interactive tool Issue 18.3 | GOVERNMENT TECHNOLOGY MAGAZINE

39

Advertisement Feature

Industry Insight: strategic hosting decisions David Mathews, public sector client director at Claritas Solutions, explains how organisations are rethinking data location, access and assurance as hosting models evolve What should public sector organisations consider when choosing where and how to host their data, especially as the landscape of providers, jurisdictions and regulatory expectations continue to evolve?

Organisations should focus on control as well as location. Hosting decisions should consider who can access data, who operates the environment, which legal jurisdictions apply and what contractual protections are in place.

Growing geopolitical uncertainty, evolving legislation, major cloud outage events and concentration risk are driving greater scrutiny of hosting choices, especially for sensitive services such as Policing and critical national infrastructure.

Organisations should also understand the distinction between data residency, sovereignty and localisation. Storing data in the UK does not automatically address issues such as legal access, operational control, support arrangements or portability.

40

Key considerations include UK GDPR and DPA 2018 requirements, (such as Part 3), overseas legislation such as the US CLOUD Act, supplier dependency, exit strategies, encryption, backup and recovery, resilience and auditability. Hosting decisions are no longer purely technical, they’re legal, operational, commercial and reputational decisions that must support public service responsibilities.

How are organisations’ cloud strategies evolving as their systems, workloads and digital ambitions become more complex, and as the market shifts toward a wider mix of regional and global hosting options?

Cloud strategies are becoming more selective and outcome-focused. Organisations increasingly recognise that no single platform can meet every operational, regulatory and commercial requirement.

Rather than asking “which cloud?”, organisations should ask which environment is most appropriate for each workload, data type and risk profile. This is driving greater adoption of hybrid and multi-cloud strategies, where hyperscale, sovereign, managed service, Crown Hosting and onpremise options can each play a role.

Hyperscale platforms can offer scale and innovation, but they are not always the right answer for every service. Sensitive, legacy, unsupported or highly regulated workloads may require hosting models that provide greater control, assurance and commercial predictability.

Data movement is also becoming a strategic issue. High egress costs can discourage organisations from moving large volumes of data between environments, which is particularly relevant as public bodies explore AI. Where data needs to be transferred to external AI models or analytics platforms, cost can become a barrier to experimentation, adoption and innovation.

Advertisement Feature

A practical approach is to classify workloads according to sensitivity and risk, then align hosting models accordingly. This allows organisations to balance security, compliance, resilience, performance and cost while maintaining flexibility as requirements evolve.

How are expectations around security, resilience and continuous assurance changing as organisations modernise their IT estates and reassess the risks associated with different hosting models?

Organisations are moving from point-in-time assurance towards continuous assurance.

Confidence is now required throughout the lifecycle of a service, not just at procurement.

Public sector bodies are conducting deeper assessments of supplier governance, cyber resilience, access controls, data residency commitments, sub-processors, monitoring, patching, backup, recovery, disaster recovery and exit planning.

The focus is increasingly practical, who can access systems, how quickly services can recover, whether data can be restored reliably and how business continuity is tested and maintained.

Security expectations are also becoming more supply-chain focused. Risk can arise not only from hosting providers but also from software vendors, managed service partners and third parties. Assurance must therefore extend across the delivery ecosystem.

For sensitive workloads, sovereign hosting is becoming more sophisticated. Organisations are considering where data resides, who manages it, who controls encryption, infrastructure, and which legal jurisdiction governs the service. Security and resilience must be embedded in the architecture, contracts and operating model from the outset.

Why is it increasingly important for organisations to have IT solutions tailored to their specific operational and regulatory needs, particularly as data location, access and compliance requirements become more complex?

Generic technology approaches can create unnecessary risk where data sensitivity, operational demands and compliance obligations differ. Organisations need solutions aligned to their specific needs, including who accesses data, how long it is retained, recovery requirements, system integrations and evidence needed for compliance.

David Mathews, public sector client director, Claritas Solutions David Mathews, public sector client director (Claritas Solutions), working with government, policing, national transport & regulated organisations to shape secure, resilient & outcomefocused digital services. Helping clients assess hosting, managed IT, data security & case management requirements, with particular focus on sovereignty, compliance, resilience & operational risk.

A practical approach is to classify data according to sensitivity and sovereignty requirements, then design hosting, security and support models around those classifications. Organisations should seek clear contractual commitments rather than relying on marketing claims, while ensuring auditability, incident response and exit planning are built in from the start.

Ultimately, organisations are not simply purchasing technology. They are safeguarding essential services, protecting citizens’ data and maintaining public trust. IT is not about unnecessary complexity; it is about delivering secure, compliant, resilient and cost-effective technology that supports specific public service outcomes. M FURTHER INFORMATION

www.claritas-solutions.co.uk

Issue 18.3 | GOVERNMENT TECHNOLOGY MAGAZINE

41

Unified Cyber Defence for our Public Services

A Trusted Partner in Public Sector Cyber Resilience Improving the cyber resilience of the UK government and public sector is central to BlueFort’s mission. Our security solutions and services are widely adopted across central departments and local authorities - enhancing governance, compliance, and operational resilience.

How We Help With Key Cybersecurity Challenges in the Public Sector Cyber Assessment Framework (CAF)

Continuous Cybersecurity Modernisation

Meeting CAF requirements means proving security outcomes, not just controls.

BlueFort helps organisations align with CAF expectations through practical, outcomedriven identity solutions.

BlueFort supports the public sector in adopting modern security technologies, refreshing legacy systems to keep pace with evolving threats. We focus on best-inclass solutions that are simple to manage and built for long-term resilience.

Cost Control

BlueFort helps streamline and optimise security investments, reducing complexity while improving overall effectiveness.

Work with BlueFort Security for: Identity Security

Security Platforms

Complete identity protection from legacy to cloud.

Maximise protection and efficiency with integrated, modern security platforms.

Secure & Compliant AI adoption

Zero Trust

Implement AI tools securely while protecting data and meeting compliance.

Simplify and strengthen remote access with Zero Trust architectures.

01252 917000 | info@bluefort.com | www.bluefort.com

Cyber Security

Sponsored by

Why professional registration is the next step in building the UK’s cyber security workforce Giles Grant, CEO of the UK Cyber Security Council, explains how the new Associate Cyber Security Professional title creates a recognised entry point into the profession and helps employers recruit with greater confidence The UK faces a cyber security skills challenge that is growing faster than the sector’s ability to address it. The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) estimated that 50 per cent of UK businesses have a basic cyber skills gap, and 49 per cent of cyber firms have been unable to fill technical roles in the past twelve months. For organisations that sit at the sharp end of the UK’s cyber threat landscape; government departments, defence agencies, police forces and security services, this has direct implications for national resilience.

The problem is rooted in the absence of a consistent, trusted way to identify, develop and retain cyber security talent. Without a

clear professional framework, recruitment is inconsistent, career progression is opaque, and the workforce lacks the formal recognition that other professions take for granted.

The UK Cyber Security Council was established precisely to address this challenge.

Created in response to the 2016 National Cyber Security Strategy, which identified the need for a professionalised cyber security workforce, the Council was granted Royal Charter in 2022 with a formal public interest mandate to set and uphold professional standards for the sector and to award professional titles in cyber security. In April 2026, we took a significant step forward with the launch of our new Associate Cyber Security Professional title. This is E Issue 18.3 | GOVERNMENT TECHNOLOGY MAGAZINE

43

Redefining Microsoft Security for the Public Sector with secure365® Learn how Public Sector organisations with lean in-house IT teams can strengthen protection, credibility and operational continuity with Microsoft Security® and secure365®, the Managed eXtended Response and Detection solution by Softwerx.

Contact us today!

Info@softwerx.com | +44 (0)1223 834 333 | www.softwerx.com

F the first formal entry point onto the UK Cyber Security Professional Register, sitting alongside our existing professional titles: Practitioner, Principal and Chartered. This provides a pathway from starting out in the sector to achieving professional mastery and recognition.

What the title is, and why it matters Our new entry-level Associate title is not a certification or a qualification, but a professional registration, and that distinction is important. Certifications tell employers what someone knew at a particular point in time. Professional registration tells them something more meaningful. That an individual has demonstrated applied competence against the UK Cyber Security Standard for Professional Competence and Commitment, that they uphold a formal ethical code, and are committed to ongoing professional development as a condition of remaining on the Register.

Associate title holders are assessed across five areas: knowledge and experience, communication and interpersonal skills, integrity, professional commitment, and collaborative leadership. Assessment uses peer judgement, meaning professionals from all disciplines within cyber security are evaluated against the same framework. This accommodates the diversity of routes into the

Associate title holders are assessed across five areas

Cyber Security

Sponsored by

profession and the pace of change that defines the sector, including the increasingly blurred boundary between physical security and digital infrastructure that many organisations in the government and defence space navigate every day.

For public sector hiring managers who are not cyber specialists themselves, this matters enormously. The title provides a standardised, independently verified benchmark for entrylevel competence that removes ambiguity from the recruitment process. In a field where the consequences of a poor hiring decision can be significant, and where sensitive data and critical public services are at stake, that clarity has real value.

Addressing the experience paradox The Associate title was designed to solve a specific and well-recognised problem. Those entering the cyber security profession often encounter the experience paradox where they cannot secure a role without demonstrated experience, but cannot gain that experience without a role. This bottleneck locks talented, capable people out of the sector, often leaving organisations struggling to access the entrylevel cyber talent they need. E

45

Cyber Security

46

Registered cyber security professionals are held to a formal ethical code

cyber security qualification to show for it.

The Associate title gives those individuals a recognised way to validate and formalise their experience, and gives employers the confidence to hire them.

F The Associate title breaks that cycle. It gives early-career individuals a credible, government-backed route to evidence their readiness, whether their knowledge has been built through academic qualifications, selfdirected study, certifications, bootcamps, apprenticeships, or transferable experience from adjacent fields such as IT, engineering, or policing. The framework does not privilege one route over another. It focuses on demonstrated competence, wherever that competence was developed.

This is particularly significant for the government and security sectors, which draw talent from a wide range of backgrounds. A former signals intelligence analyst, a police digital forensics officer, or a defence contractor moving into a dedicated cyber role may have extensive relevant expertise but no formal

Built for the public sector The Standard underpinning the Associate title carries government backing and forms the basis for the requirements of the Government’s new Cyber Profession framework. For organisations that answer to the central government, including local authorities, police forces, and intelligence agencies, hiring to a governmentaligned standard is increasingly expected, not just an optional enhancement.

Beyond recruitment, the title supports retention. Cyber security professionals are frequently recruited away by private sector organisations offering higher salaries. For public sector employers who cannot always compete on pay, actively supporting staff through professional registration is a meaningful way to demonstrate a genuine commitment to career development. It signals that cyber

DIGITAL SOLUTIONS & INNOVATION FOR THE PUBLIC SECTOR | www.governmenttechnology.co.uk

The cyber threat facing public sector organisations is growing and evolving

Cyber Security

Sponsored by

capable, trusted cyber security professionals will only increase.

Building a workforce capable of meeting that demand requires more than training budgets and recruitment campaigns. It requires a professionalised workforce held to recognised standards, committed to ongoing development, and trusted to uphold strong ethical values.

A workforce that employers can hire with confidence, that individuals can build careers within, and that the public can trust to protect the systems and data they depend on will be critical to front line defence.

The Government recognised this in its Cyber Resilience Action Plan, and the new national Cyber Profession framework builds on the same Standard that underpins the Associate title. With over 1,000 professionals already on the Register, the foundations are in place.

The Associate title is the next step in making professional registration the norm across the sector, and in ensuring the UK has the pipeline of cyber security professionals it needs to meet the challenges ahead. M security is a respected, long-term profession within the organisation, and gives professionals a structured pathway to progress through Practitioner, Principal and Chartered status over the course of their career.

There is also an ethics and accountability dimension that is particularly relevant for organisations handling sensitive data and delivering essential public services. Registered cyber security professionals are held to a formal ethical code, with a robust complaints process in place. This provides a clear framework for professional decision-making and empowers those on the Register to maintain standards even under pressure. This accountability provides a meaningful framework for organisations operating in high-stakes environments.

FURTHER INFORMATION

Find out more at ukcybersecuritycouncil.org.uk/associate.

Giles Grant, CEO, UK Cyber Security Council

A profession the UK can rely on The cyber threat facing public sector organisations is growing and evolving. From ransomware attacks on local authorities, to state-sponsored intrusions targeting government infrastructure, the demand for

47

Innovative IPs we can license out

ed photon-based data transmission

Innovative IPs we can license out

fast secure QKD using Entangled photon-based data transmisssion

fast secure QKD using Entangled photon-based data transmisssion

Innovative IPs we can license out

Entangled photon-based data transmission

Post quantum signature For post quantum QKD antispoofing

fast secure QKD using Entangled photon-based data transmisssion Drone detection With quantum radar Patent Pending Entangled photon-based data transmission

Hyperbolic geolocation Does not require satellites Penetrates indoor

Post quantum signature For post quantum QKD antispoofing

Offline prepaid cash

Post quantum signature AU2020225314A1, CA3128869A1, CN113811874A1, KR20210153595A1, EP3928232A1, US-2025-0330452A1, FR3092923B1, FR3140457A1, WO2020169542A1, JP7617008B2, JP7617008B2, US11914754B2, US12301549B2 , US20240111717A1, US20240160792A1, US20250279986A1 , US11956367B2 , US20240089240A1 , US12299179B2 ; photonic communication and secure transmission : CN117957795A1, CN116584054A1 , CN117957795A1, EP4374511A1, EP4374510A1, EP4374511A1, FR3125658B1, FR3125659B1, FR3125658A1, Drone detection FR3145455B1 , WO2023001721A1, WO2023001720A1 , WO2023001721A1 ; Router : US20240106539A1, FR3139396A1, FR3139396A1, WO2024052314A1 FR3120134A1, US12066558B2, With quantum radar FR3120130A1, US20220268874A US10643198B2 FR3080934B1CN110443595B

CARROUSEL DIGITAL 66, avenue des Champs Elysées 75008 Paris Hyperbolic geolocation Does not require satellites France Penetrates indoor

Patent Pending

Advertisement Feature

Advancing post‑quantum solutions Carrousel Digital provides innovative intellectual property (IP) across data security, payment applications and data transmission, as well as quantum sensing and energy The innovations designed by CEO Bruno Sangle-Ferriere were granted patents in France, the US and other jurisdictions across 10 different technologies. Some are plainly programmable but others are hardware based on physical properties, notably in quantum.

Carrousel Digital is aiming to license out these technologies. They provide solutions for many current issues, including allowing post quantum secured payments; quantum secure communication, bypassing the need for any encryption; Quantum radar and Lidar that have a small footprint; offline NFC-based payments/ e-currencies and ID app-based documents verification. They also provide geolocation without GPS using UHF wavelength that can provide signals within homes. Carrousel Digital is also

developing proof-of-concept applications using some of these innovative IPs. IPs in the energy domain are marketed under the brand Marbeuf-Conseil et Recherche (M-CR.fr) M FURTHER INFORMATION

carrouseldigital.com

49

Modern public sector IT runs on Microsoft.

So should your ITSM. Because a service desk that was fine in 2013 isn’t fine now.

Every hour spent keeping the old system alive is an hour not spent building anything new. ALVAO is ITSM and IT Asset Management, designed for Microsoft 365. Less to maintain. More to deliver.

Always on 365

Book a personalized ALVAO demo

Advertisement Feature

Why every ITSM demo looks the same and what public sector buyers should evaluate instead ALVAO explains how control, flexibility and Microsoft‑first integration help public sector IT leaders cut through look‑alike demos and choose an ITSM platform that will support them

Talk to UK IT leaders in councils, universities and government bodies and one confession repeats: after the third vendor demo, it’s all a bit much of a muchness. The same portals, forms and dashboards. They’re not wrong; modern ITSM tools have converged.

With budgets under the hardest pressure in a decade, picking wrong has never cost more. The differences that will define your next five years are visible, if you know where to look.

Look for control, flexibility and ease of use Don’t watch the finished form. Watch a field being added, a workflow changed, a form published. If that takes a developer, your vision will always sit in someone else’s backlog. The frustration we hear most isn’t cost; it’s IT leaders who can’t realise their own ideas without consultants.

Then reporting: don’t let pretty dashboards fool you. Twenty monitor failures in a week should be a signal, not a surprise in an Excel pivot. Look for ready-made reports and a full data model flowing into Power BI, so any question your leadership asks tomorrow is answerable.

Finally, insist on seeing service desk and asset management as one. When every ticket knows the device, owner and history, users stop repeating themselves, leavers stop walking out with laptops, and finance trusts the numbers.

Fit beats features in a Microsoft estate Most public sector organisations are Microsoft houses, and your users already live in Teams and Outlook. An ITSM that meets them there has no adoption problem. ALVAO is ITSM and ITAM in one platform designed for Microsoft 365: Entra ID, Intune, Teams and Power BI do the heavy lifting, using skills your team already has. The same logic applies to Copilot and AI automation: AI is only as good as the data underneath, and connected tickets, assets and owners give it solid foundations, not another silo.

Will they be a partner, or just a vendor?

No demo shows what happens after go-live.

Ask who runs your onboarding: a named consultant, or a documentation link? Ask a hard question and watch for honesty. Ask for a reference your size. When every tool looks similar, the vendor who treats you like you matter separates a purchase from a decision you’ll be proud of in year three.

Put us to the test ALVAO has spent 27 years building service and asset management for Microsoft-first organisations, and is available on G-Cloud.

Get a true partnership to elevate your ITSM to the level your users deserve. M FURTHER INFORMATION

Scan the QR code to book a personalised demo, or visit www.alvao.com

Issue 18.3 | GOVERNMENT TECHNOLOGY MAGAZINE

51

ONE ENVIRONMENT, ONE SOLUTION, ONE TEAM Ajar Technology has established itself as a trusted partner for complex, high-impact projects across the transport, government, housing, and emergency services sectors for more than 21 years.

Our company’s unique approach, offered as 'One Environment, One Solution, One Team’, enables the seamless convergence of AV, Security and IT technologies, creating integrated environments that support critical operations.

In today's fast-paced digital world, organisations often face complex challenges when embarking on digital transformation initiatives. The technology landscape is vast, with solutions all vying for attention.

Navigating these waters can be overwhelming—especially when each vendor claims to have the perfect solution for your specific needs.

This is where an independent systems integrator can be invaluable.

WHO WE WORK WITH

Our end to end in-house offer: •Solution design & agnostic advisory service •Survey and pre-sales •Vendor management & procurement •Project management •Off-site test, build, configuration •Systems programming •On-site installations & commissioning •End user training •Account management •Ongoing support & maintenance (customisable support from 24/7 x 365 to business as usual, on-site and/or remote) Full UK wide coverage

Who we work with: Our Frameworks: London Ambulance Service G Cloud 15 Heathrow Airport NHS Shared Business Services Greater Manchester Police UK Government CHIC Security & Control Rooms His Majesty’s Prison Service Humber Fire & Rescue Crown Commercial Services multiple DPS & Frameworks Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) Everything FM Lancashire Police Tier 1 partners All accessible by UK Public UK Social Housing Providers Sector bodies UK City Councils and Boroughs Email: enquiries@ajartechnology.com Website: www.ajartechnology.com

For 20 years, The Emergency Services Show has been where the UK’s blue light sector comes together to solve frontline challenges, share operational lessons and discover what’s next for emergency response In 2026, ESS returns to the NEC Birmingham for its landmark 20th anniversary alongside The Emergency Tech Show, bringing frontline operations and digital innovation together under one roof at a pivotal moment for the sector.

Over two days, more than 16,000 professionals and 550+ exhibitors will gather to explore everything from rescue equipment and fleet to AI, drones, communications and resilience.

For policing, fire and rescue, ambulance and emergency planning professionals, Birmingham will once again become the centre of the conversation around the future of emergency response.

A sector under pressure Emergency services are operating in one of the most challenging environments in recent memory.

Demand is rising while budgets remain constrained. Workforce wellbeing has become a growing concern, while agencies are also being asked to respond to

Emergency Services Show

Connecting frontline operations with the future of public safety

increasingly complex threats including terrorism, public disorder, severe weather, cyber risk and infrastructure disruption.

At the same time, technology is rapidly transforming frontline operations.

Artificial intelligence, cloud infrastructure, predictive analytics and unmanned systems are no longer future concepts. They are becoming embedded in day-to-day emergency response.

That shift sits at the centre of ESS and ETS 2026.

The co-location of both events reflects a new operational reality: frontline capability and digital technology can no longer be treated separately.

Modern emergency response now depends as much on data, connectivity and situational awareness as it does on physical equipment.

Paramedics increasingly rely on integrated patient data, fire and rescue teams use drones and live mapping during incidents, and police services are investing in AIassisted workflows and digital evidence management. E

53

Emergency Services Show

F The lines between operational response and digital capability are becoming increasingly blurred, and ESS and ETS aim to reflect that evolution.

20 years of ESS Since launching in 2006, The Emergency Services Show has become one of the UK’s leading events for the blue light sector, bringing together frontline responders, senior leaders, resilience professionals and suppliers under one roof.

The 2026 edition marks its 20th anniversary, with exhibitors spanning PPE, rescue equipment, communications, medical technology, fleet, wellbeing and operational support.

But ESS has always been more than an exhibition. Its value lies in the conversations, connections and shared learning that happen across the show floor, helping emergency services tackle challenges together and shape the future of response.

Four themes driving the 2026 programme The 2026 event is built around four core themes reflecting the operational realities facing emergency services today.

The programme will also see the return of established content theatres including the Royal College of Paramedics Theatre, the People and Skills Theatre and the Protecting the Protector Stage, focusing on workforce wellbeing, leadership and responder safety.

Lifesaving on the frontline This theme focuses on frontline care, rescue capability and interoperability, with sessions exploring pre-hospital care, trauma response and the tools supporting responders in high-pressure environments.

A major addition for 2026 is The ATACC Group’s Life Saving on the Front Line demonstration, delivering practical, scenariobased resuscitation training across both days.

Designed for police, fire and ambulance personnel, the CPD-accredited sessions focus on applying Immediate Life Support (ILS) and Advanced Life Support (ALS) skills in realistic operational conditions.

Emerging threats and resilience Preparedness and resilience continue to rise up the agenda for emergency planners, local authorities and blue light agencies.

54

The programme places strong emphasis on civil contingencies, public protection and multi-agency coordination, with Martyn’s Law and climate-related disruption expected to feature prominently.

A key addition is the new Local Resilience Forum Conference, delivered in partnership with the West Midlands Resilience Forum.

Fleet of the future Fleet remains one of the fastest-changing areas across emergency services.

Police, ambulance and fire fleets are under pressure to decarbonise while maintaining operational readiness.

The new Fleet of the Future feature area will provide a dedicated space for fleet managers and procurement teams to explore vehicle technology, telematics, infrastructure and electrification.

Training and development People remain the foundation of every emergency service.

This strand focuses on workforce capability, leadership, wellbeing and professional

Collaboration at the centre One of the defining characteristics of ESS has always been its emphasis on collaboration. Multi-agency working is no longer aspirational within emergency response. It is essential.

The Collaboration Zone at ESS 2026 has been designed to create space for agencies, organisations and partners to share operational experience, strengthen relationships and explore coordinated approaches to resilience and response.

Bringing police, fire, ambulance, resilience professionals, voluntary organisations and technology providers into the same environment remains one of the event’s greatest strengths.

New Features for 2026 Local Resilience Forum Conference A major new addition for 2026, the Local Resilience Forum Conference reflects the growing

focus on community-led resilience and multi-agency preparedness.

Bringing together resilience professionals, emergency planners, voluntary organisations, faith groups and policy leaders, the twoday programme will explore how stronger partnerships can improve response, recovery and long-term resilience.

Emergency Services Show

development, including immersive training environments, digital learning tools and mental health support.

Resilience360° Summit Another major addition is the launch of the Resilience360° Summit.

Part of the wider Response360 ecosystem, the summit focuses on the full lifecycle of operational resilience, from prevention and preparedness through to response and recovery.

The event will bring together leaders from emergency services, transport, utilities and critical infrastructure to examine resilience strategy, collaboration and the role of emerging technologies during disruption and major incidents.

Emergency Tech Show Comes Into Focus Running alongside ESS, The Emergency Tech Show has rapidly established E

55

Emergency Services Show F itself as a dedicated platform for digital transformation within public safety.

The 2026 edition will feature more than 150 technology exhibitors and

56

thousands of digital and data specialists working across emergency response.

The programme has been developed alongside organisations including the Police Digital Service and the NPCC Digital, Data and Technology Coordination Committee, ensuring sessions remain grounded in operational need.

Key topics will include AI adoption, cloud migration, cyber resilience, data sharing, digital evidence and automation.

One of the strongest themes emerging across the sector is the need to move beyond experimentation.

Emergency services are no longer simply exploring what technology can do. They are now focused on implementation, interoperability and measurable operational outcomes.

That focus will run throughout ETS. The AWS Partner Zone will explore how emergency services are using cloud and AI technologies to improve efficiency and reduce administrative burden.

Meanwhile, the Microsoft Partner Stage and Microsoft Village will showcase how digital tools are supporting safeguarding, operational decision-making and workforce efficiency.

Emergency Services Show

Across two days, visitors can access CPDaccredited sessions, live demonstrations, specialist feature areas and valuable peer-to-peer networking at a time when collaboration and shared learning have never been more important.

The Drones and Robotics Zone will also return with live demonstrations showcasing aerial surveillance, thermal imaging and robotics platforms designed for high-risk environments.

Alongside this, the Ordnance Survey Mapping Zone will demonstrate how location intelligence and geospatial data continue to shape emergency response planning and incident coordination.

More than an exhibition More than a trade show, ESS and ETS have become one of Europe’s biggest meeting points for emergency services professionals.

Birmingham becomes the sector’s meeting point The Emergency Services Show and The Emergency Tech Show return to the NEC Birmingham on 16–17 September 2026, bringing the blue light community together at a pivotal moment for the sector.

As operational pressure, technological change and public expectations continue to reshape emergency response, ESS and ETS remain where the sector comes together to share ideas, tackle challenges and explore what comes next. M .com FURTHER INFORMATION www.emergencyuk.com

Issue 18.3 | GOVERNMENT TECHNOLOGY MAGAZINE

57

Apps

HMRC celebrates 10 years of the small app that packs a big punch As digital service owner in the Chief Digital Product Office, Lee Hawksworth looks back at over ten years of HMRC’s app from a simple online tax calculator to an app consistently rated in the top five free finance apps in the UK and now at the forefront of HMRC’s Digital Services In the ten years since the HMRC app was launched, millions of people have already used it to interact with HMRC digitally and be ‘on it’ with their money and tax. Last financial year, a record 7.65 million users accessed the HMRC app to do things like claim their Child Benefit,

58

pay their Self Assessment bill or check their pay and tax. They chose to use it simply because it does what an app does: it provides a quick and convenient solution meeting the expectations of a digital society.

DIGITAL SOLUTIONS & INNOVATION FOR THE PUBLIC SECTOR | www.governmenttechnology.co.uk

Apps

Development highlights include the following.

In 2017, customers were able to renew their Tax Credits and later that year, customers could check and correct their Paye As You Earn (PAYE) information, with 5.6 million people viewing their PAYE summary in the 2025 to 2026 financial year alone.

In 2018, HMRC experimented with push notifications to 150,000 Tax Credit customers and in 2019, customers could request tax refunds via the app.

In March 2020, push notifications were available for customers who had digital letters waiting for them in their online account and the following month, the HMRC app was used to support critical messaging during the pandemic.

Annual Tax Summaries were made available in 2021 and in April 2022, Self Assessment customers were able to pay their tax bills via the HMRC app for the first time using Open Banking. E

The first iteration of the HMRC app was launched in 2016 While the app provides a simple digital solution to millions of people, there’s also a bigger picture in that it’s fundamentally changed the way HMRC serves our customers and the way they interact with us.

Instead of worrying if their tax is correct and picking up the phone, customers can access and view their tax details at their fingertips, have more control over their tax affairs and can be regularly and proactively self-serving at the tap of a button. Latest figures on customer interactions show 96.8 per cent of customers do not call HMRC within seven days of using the HMRC app.

In simply doing what an app does, it’s also a major player in HMRC’s digital-first strategy, with its aim of 90 per cent of interactions being digital by 2029 to 2030, as well as doing some pretty heavy-lifting in meeting the government’s vision of simplifying tax for everyone.

The early days The first iteration of the HMRC app was launched in 2016, providing customers with a simple calculator to work out the tax they’ll need to pay on their earnings. In the early days of app development, tens and then hundreds of customers were using it instead of millions.

59

Apps

The HMRC app continues to bring huge efficiencies for customers and for the organisation. For every person who claims Child Benefit online and via the app – as more than 650,000 families did in the 12 months to April 2026 – they, on average, have their claim processed in a matter of days rather than weeks.

For each customer who downloaded their National Insurance number via the app they have it at their fingertips in minutes rather than waiting over two weeks for a letter to drop on their doormat.

Self Assessment customers paid £1.6 billion to settle their tax bills instantly with a few taps of the app during the 2025-26 tax year.

With 24/7 access, people are getting on with their lives, there’s no hold up to their money and they can get their tax affairs sorted.

More than 80 per cent of all interactions with HMRC are now digital F In 2023, customers could view and add their National Insurance number to their device wallet.and in June 2023, the HMRC app became bi-lingual serving Welsh Language customers.

Up to 2022, 2.2 million customers downloaded the app. The services now available on the app are wide and varied, from viewing your National Insurance record and State Pension forecast to claiming Child Benefit and applying for Help to Save. The ability to download your National Insurance number and save it to your digital wallet is one of the most popular functions on the app with over 1.2 million downloads since it launched in 2023.

Another popular function is claiming Child Benefit. Latest figures show 87 per cent of all Child Benefit claims are now digital.

How it’s used today More than 80 per cent of all interactions with HMRC are now digital and the HMRC app is the trusted go-to product for individuals, making tax easier for them and more efficient for HMRC. It continues to provide simple straightforward solutions for our customers who, recognising the benefits of having their tax details to hand, used it 155 million times in the last tax year.

60

Apps

Fit for the future?

In a recent survey of more than 5,200 people, over 90 per cent of HMRC app users said it meets their expectations and it is reviewed at 4.8 out of 5 by over 237,000 App Store reviewers.

Work within the app is starting to explore new ways to help customers stay in control of their payments, making it easier to set up and track their ‘Time to Pay’ arrangements through a simple digital journey. Alongside this, new features will support the digitisation of post, giving customers quicker, easier access to important communications in one secure place.

Work will also make the app more intuitive with customer-specific content and relevant notifications and nudges, improving the overall user interface based on user research and journey tracking including action-focused titles to aid navigation as well as toggles to reduce scrolling.

Work will also make the app more intuitive with customerspecific content and relevant notifications and nudge In its tenth year, the HMRC app has its sights set on achieving 10 million users in 2026-27.

Supported by fun, innovative advertising campaigns in which a talking pizza, a musical duck and a yeti encourage customers to be “On It”, and, with a 28 per cent increase in usage in just the last year, the HMRC app certainly is. M FURTHER INFORMATION

The app allows you to check and manage your pay and tax. You too can be ‘on it’ and download the HMRC app today.

61

EV Fleets

EV charging infrastructure with a long-term future After electrifying more than a third of Dundee City Council’s 640-strong fleet, Fraser Cichton explains why long-term charging infrastructure contracts are the critical, often overlooked foundation for making the transition work Over a third of Dundee City Council’s fleet is now electric. That’s 232 vehicles out of 640: pool cars, vans, street sweepers and eight fully-electric refuse collection vehicles that were the first of their kind in Scotland. Since 2021, we’ve travelled 11.5 million miles on pure electric and saved an estimated 2295 tonnes of CO2 – equivalent to 13,800 trees. By 2035, we aim to have every vehicle in our fleet running on electricity.

None of that happened just because we bought the right vehicles. It happened because we built the right infrastructure to support them, and then made sure that infrastructure had a long-term future. The vehicle purchase is the easy part. The harder question, and the one that many fleet managers and local authorities are overlooking, is: what does the contract behind your charging infrastructure actually look like, and is it long enough to deliver what you need?

The problem with five-year thinking Most local authority EV infrastructure contracts run for five-to-ten years. That might sound reasonable. But when you’re managing a fleet transition that will take a decade or more to complete, a five-year contract creates problems that aren’t immediately obvious.

First, it limits what your operator will invest.

If a company knows it has five years on a contract, it will install what’s needed to fulfil the minimum specification and no more. It won’t invest in solar canopies, battery storage or depot upgrades that only pay back over a longer horizon. Why would it? The asset might belong to someone else in six years.

Second, it makes fleet planning harder.

When we’re deciding which fleet vehicles to electrify over the next five years, I need to know

62

that the charging infrastructure will be there, maintained, and upgraded for the full lifecycle of those vehicles. A refuse collection vehicle might be on our fleet for 10 to 12 years. If the infrastructure contract expires halfway through that vehicle’s life, we’re introducing uncertainty into a decision that should be straightforward.

Third, it fragments the relationship. Every time a contract comes up for renewal, you lose continuity – the engineers who know your sites, the operators who understand your fleet patterns, the people who pick up the phone when something breaks at 6am before the bin lorries go out. That knowledge walks out the door and you start again.

EV Fleets

What a 20-year contract actually enables Earlier this year, Dundee signed a 20-year partnership with Evolt Charging covering its entire public and fleet charging estate: 199 public chargers, six battery storage systems, and seven solar arrays across four rapid charging hubs. We also completed the migration of our entire network away from ChargePlace Scotland in two and a half weeks, with zero downtime for drivers. That speed wasn’t luck; it was the product of a relationship that has been building since 2011.

The 20-year commitment changes the calculus in ways that matter practically for fleet operations. Our operator can now justify investing in depot upgrades that support the next phase of fleet electrification, because they know they’ll be here to see the return.

We’re planning a new rapid charging hub in the north of the city with eight ultrarapid chargers, solar canopies, and battery storage. That kind of capital investment doesn’t happen on a five-year contract.

The contract also includes a bi-yearly tariff review mechanism. For fleet managers, that’s critical. It means we can forecast charging costs with reasonable confidence over the lifecycle of the vehicles I’m buying today. The tariff isn’t fixed forever, but it’s reviewed on a schedule we can plan around, with both E

Most local authority EV infrastructure contracts run for 5-10 years. That might sound reasonable. But when you’re managing a fleet transition that will take a decade or more to complete, a five-year contract creates problems that aren’t immediately obvious

63

EV Fleets

When we’re deciding which fleet vehicles to electrify over the next five years, I need to know that the charging infrastructure will be there, maintained, and upgraded for the full lifecycle of those vehicles

64

F parties at the table. That’s a fundamentally different offer to a short-term contract where pricing can shift dramatically at renewal.

And because all revenue generated through our charging network is reinvested back into the estate, the infrastructure improves over time rather than degrading. The incentives are aligned: better infrastructure means more usage, which means more revenue, which means further investment. On a short contract, that feedback loop never has time to develop.

EV Fleets

The fleet reality that gets overlooked Fleet electrification isn’t a single decision, it’s a rolling programme that takes years. We started with Nissan Leafs in 2011. We moved into electric taxis in 2016. We introduced electric refuse vehicles in 2021. At each stage, we needed to know that the infrastructure would keep pace, that depot charging would be expanded, and that the people maintaining our chargers understood our operations.

That last point is more important than it might sound. Our charging hubs don’t just plug vehicles in. The Clepington Road hub integrates 600 kilowatt-peak of solar generation with 720 kilowatt-hours of second-life battery storage, using repurposed EV batteries. It captures excess solar energy and uses it to reduce grid demand at peak times. That’s not something you can hand over to a new operator every five years and expect to run smoothly.

It requires deep technical knowledge of the specific installation, built up over time.

We’re also starting to explore the possibility of exporting surplus renewable energy from our hubs back into the national grid. If that works, our EV infrastructure becomes not just a cost to the council but a revenue generator.

But developing that capability requires long-term thinking, long-term investment, and a long-term partnership that gives both sides the confidence to innovate.

The lesson for other fleet managers Every Scottish local authority is now facing the same transition we’ve completed. ChargePlace Scotland is winding down, and councils are having to find private partners to run their charging networks. Some are making good decisions. Others may default to the shortest, cheapest contract they can find because that’s what procurement culture encourages.

My advice is to think about the contract the same way you think about the fleet plan. You wouldn’t buy a refuse vehicle and plan to replace it in three years. So why would you sign an infrastructure contract that doesn’t last as long as the vehicles it’s supposed to support?

We certainly didn’t get everything right the first time. Over the course of our electrification, every type of charger was trialled and tested, and we made our fair share of mistakes.

But the one thing we did get right, from the beginning, was building a relationship with our infrastructure partner that was long enough to learn from those mistakes and keep improving.

That’s what 20 years gives you. And I’d argue it’s the most important decision any fleet manager will make in the next five years. L Issue 18.3 | GOVERNMENT TECHNOLOGY MAGAZINE

65

Advertisers Index

Published by

020 8532 0055 | www.psi-media.co.uk

Sign up for your free digital subscription by visiting our website www.governmenttechnology.co.uk

ADVERTISERS INDEX

The publishers accept no responsibility for errors or omissions in this free service Ajar Technology

52

I-NET Software Solutions

30

ALVAO

50

OPRaaS

6

Barron McCann

28

Philips Monitors

IFC

BlueFort Security

42

Softwerx

44

Carrousel Digital

48

Stock in the Channel

16

Casci

12

Teomach

28

8, 40

TTEC Digital

26

Zoho Corporation

4

Claritas Solutions Clearleft

24

Cornerstone Management Services

18

© 2026 Public Sector Information Limited. No part of this publication can be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any other means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise) without the prior written permission of the publisher. Whilst every care has been taken to ensure the accuracy of the editorial content the publisher cannot be held responsible for errors or omissions. The views expressed are not necessarily those of the publisher. ISSN 1470-0735

Government Technology is a member of the Independent Press Standards Organisation (which regulates the UK’s magazine and newspaper industry). We abide by the Editors’ Code of Practice and are committed to upholding the highest standards of journalism. If you think that we have not met those standards and want to make a complaint please contact Polly Jones or Angela Pisanu on 0208 532 0055. If we are unable to resolve your complaint, or if you would like more information about IPSO or the Editors’ Code, contact IPSO on 0300 123 2220 or visit www.ipso.co.uk

66

DIGITAL SOLUTIONS & INNOVATION FOR THE PUBLIC SECTOR | www.governmenttechnology.co.uk

Business Information for Local and Central Government

SIGN UP FOR YOUR FREE DIGITAL SUBSCRIPTION

VISIT OUR WEBSITE HERE

www.governmenttechnology.co.uk