Innovation
Bradford MDC
Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence Perpetrator Pilot
Domestic abuse and sexual violence is tragically rife and the impact on victims, children and their wider networks is devastating. We absolutely need to support victims but if we don't address the root cause, nothing will change. Perpetrator programmes exist but for some, this approach simply does not work. Disengaged, they leave and the history of repeated abuse continues leaving a trail of traumatised victims behind. We took an alternative approach in addressing perpetrator's unmet needs and the evidence of change post intervention was astounding with a decrease of 89% in reported abusive incidents.
Breckland Council, East Cambridgeshire DC, East Suffolk Council, Fenland DC, and West Suffolk Council
Transforming Revenues Services
The Council Tax automation project began in 2021, aiming to improve efficiency by automating tenant moves, refunds, and e-billing. After collaborating with Capita and other local authorities, automation of tenant moves started in 2024, reaching 68% efficiency with a 24-hour processing time. The Refunds and Credits project, launched in 2023 and progressing through 2024, automates Direct Debit refunds. E-billing, which replaces paper bills, was introduced to save significant costs, with additional environmental benefits as well as being more convenient for customers. These initiatives enhance customer experience, reduce manual work, and promote "digital by default" services.
Cambridgeshire CC
Dig Once: Driving digital connectivity and carbon savings through innovation
Cambridgeshire County Council’s pioneering ‘Dig Once’ policy integrates fibre ducting into new transport infrastructure, accelerating digital delivery while saving time, costs, and CO2 emissions. Combined with Light Blue Fibre, a joint venture with University of Cambridge, assets are being used efficiently to underpin innovation. By proactively installing fibre ducting during construction projects like busways and cycle routes, the Council’s innovative approach has enabled telecom operators to extend gigabit broadband without disruptive retrofitting. Demonstrating scalable, place-based innovation that enhances connectivity, supports economic growth, and aligns with Net Zero targets. Collaborative partnerships drive this model’s success, ensuring a long-term, sustainable impact.
Ealing LBC
Care Leavers Take Over the Council Day
Ealing’s annual Care Leavers Takeover Day empowers care-experienced young people to influence council services and decision-making, enhancing their life outcomes. The initiative fosters corporate parenting responsibilities across the council and wider partners, leading to tangible impacts like increased apprenticeships, social housing, and mental health support. The 2024 event saw 58 young people assume council roles, shaping policy and services with 54 actionable recommendations. This innovative approach aligns service priorities with young people's needs, reduces complaints, and improves efficiency. We hope to inspire other councils to embed care leavers’ voices in service delivery, driving lasting change for care-experienced individuals.
Lancashire CC
Pause and Reflect Fostering Arrangements: transforming lives with compassion and innovation
Lancashire County Councils Pause and Reflect (PAR) Fostering Program is revolutionising care for children with complex needs. Providing a nurturing, stable home for up to 28 days, allowing children to voice their needs while professionals craft tailored care plans. This collaborative initiative developed with foster carers and children's services, tackles foster carer retention, emergency care and providing choice for our children.Since its inception, PAR has positively impacted 20 children, improving emotional wellbeing and care journeys while reducing costs. This pioneering approach ensures that every child receives the right care at the right time, promoting stability and brighter futures.
North Northamptonshire Council
The Chester House Estate
North Northamptonshire’s Chester House Estate is a beacon of innovation in the heritage sector, blending traditional preservation with modern engagement strategies to create a sustainable and impactful visitor attraction. Its success is measured not only in financial sustainability but in positive impacts on our communities, from educational programs, job creation to environmental initiatives and charitable collaborations. Chester House Estate, with its pioneering approaches can inspire other heritage projects to adopt forward-thinking, scalable models of heritage tourism. Chester House Estate represents the future of the sector, which balances cultural preservation with economic vitality and community well-being.
Plymouth City Council
Delivering better outcomes through Skills Launchpad Plymouth
Through Skills Launchpad Plymouth, we have created an innovative, intelligence-led, place-based and person-centred single skills system by ‘joining the dots’ to deliver a multi-agency response that ‘hides the wiring’ of over 80 public, private and voluntary sector services. By rethinking how we seamlessly connect local citizens with opportunities for skills, training, education, careers and jobs, we have delivered better outcomes, significantly improved access, removed barriers, and improved relationships both internally and across the city as we strive for equity that enables everyone that wants to take part in our service, to do so. www.skillslaunchpadplym.co.uk
Salford City Council with Agile Applications (part of IEG Group)
Revolutionising planning with AI
Salford City Council, in partnership with IEG4, has revolutionised planning services with the AI Planning Validator. This cutting-edge solution leverages artificial intelligence to automate and optimise the validation process for planning applications, reducing validation times by 60% and enabling staff to focus on complex cases. Its innovative features, AI-driven automation, enhanced consistency, and scalability deliver faster, more accurate, and cost-effective outcomes. Developed collaboratively with stakeholders and supported by academic research, the AI Validator integrates seamlessly with existing systems. By fostering a culture of innovation, Salford sets a benchmark for local government transformation, empowering other councils to adopt this groundbreaking technology.