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Hampshire NHS selects ecoDriver for smart energy monitoring

Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has selected Bramble Hub, working with our partner ecoDriver, to deploy a comprehensive energy management system across its Basingstoke and Andover sites. The contract, awarded via the Cloud Solutions 2 framework, involves the installation of Ecodriver’s smart metering and IoT technology to monitor critical infrastructure including plant rooms and wards.

The three-year agreement will see ecoDriver deliver hardware, professional services, and SaaS tools to help the trust optimize energy usage and drive sustainability across its estate.

Stealth Labs: Real AI solutions for the public sector, without the slideware

Artificial intelligence is rapidly redefining what is technically possible across government, defence, and national infrastructure. Yet for many public sector organisations, the way AI is procured and delivered has barely changed. Expensive feasibility studies and months of presentations often stand between an idea and something that actually works.

Stealth Labs – a new Bramble Hub partner – is setting out to change that.

Founded by former Microsoft AI solutions engineers, Stealth Labs is a young company with a clear and unapologetic focus: delivering working AI systems for the public sector, quickly, confidently, and without the traditional consultancy overhead.

From Microsoft to Stealth Labs

The founders of Stealth Labs are Sammy Harris and Steve Chan, both of whom previously worked as AI Solutions Engineers at Microsoft. In those roles, they supported public sector customers across defence, national security, health, and wider government, helping teams take ideas from early concepts through to production-ready systems.

At Microsoft, the founders’ work was grounded in strong software engineering fundamentals, combined with a practical understanding of where AI can genuinely add value. This often meant using AI to understand undocumented legacy applications, embedding AI into existing systems, or designing entirely new services – always with a focus on real-world outcomes rather than experimentation for its own sake.

That experience shaped the way Stealth Labs now operates. Rather than treating AI as a bolt-on or a theoretical exercise, it is used as a tool to accelerate understanding, reduce risk, and enable faster decision-making.

A prototype-first approach to AI delivery

“We want to get away from slideware. We’re not a consultancy that spends six months and half a million pounds just to get to a prototype.”

One of the clearest themes to emerge from Stealth Labs’ work is a rejection of “slideware”. Instead of charging for months of ideation, workshops, and documentation, Stealth Labs builds working prototypes and proofs-of-concept upfront.

When a customer asks whether something is possible, the answer is rarely a presentation. It is a working system.

By using AI to rapidly reverse-engineer legacy applications, explore architectural options, and test ideas in practice, Stealth Labs can give public sector teams confidence early. This approach dramatically reduces both cost and risk, and allows informed decisions to be made in weeks rather than months.

The result is a delivery model that feels fundamentally different to traditional consultancy. Customers are not paying to find out if something might work: they start the project knowing that it does.

Solving real public sector problems

“If you approach the problem from an AI-centric point of view, it’s not whether it can be done – it can be done. It’s about getting enough knowledge to make informed decisions.”

Stealth Labs’ work focuses on practical, high-impact challenges faced by government organisations.

One example is a document intelligence solution designed to tackle the growing risk and inefficiency of large SharePoint estates. Many public sector organisations hold vast quantities of unstructured data across documents, spreadsheets, and PDFs, often with limited visibility of what information is held where.

The solution automatically ingests and normalises documents, applies AI to identify risks such as sensitive or inappropriate content, and enables users to securely query their organisation’s data through a conversational interface. The outcome is improved governance, reduced duplication, and significantly better use of existing information.

Another area of focus is predictive AI: Stealth Labs has developed a forecasting platform capable of analysing complex datasets to predict future locations, events, or outcomes. This has applications across areas such as transport, border operations, and national security, where timely insight can make a material difference to decision-making.

In both cases, the emphasis is not on novelty, but on delivering systems that public sector teams can actually use and own.

Why public sector only?

“Our focus is 100% public sector. It’s what we know, and it’s where we know we can do good work.”

Stealth Labs’ exclusive focus on the public sector is deliberate. Both founders have strong experience in the sector, and Sammy has spent more than a decade as a civil servant, so understands how procurement works from the inside.

That experience brings a clear motivation: delivering better value for taxpayers while enabling public sector teams to move faster. Rather than embedding large teams on long-running engagements, Stealth Labs aims to deliver, transfer knowledge, and leave customers with systems they can maintain themselves.

Ultimately, the ambition goes even further. As AI tools continue to mature, the long-term goal is to reduce dependency on external suppliers altogether, enabling public sector organisations to take ideas to production independently.

A different future for AI delivery

“We’re already reducing overhead for the public sector – and the end goal is that they don’t even need us anymore.”

Stealth Labs represents a growing shift in how AI can be delivered to government – one that prioritises speed, confidence, and real outcomes over process and presentation.

By combining deep public sector experience with a prototype-first mindset, the team is demonstrating that meaningful AI delivery does not need to be slow, risky, or prohibitively expensive.

For organisations under pressure to do more with less, that difference matters.

From potholes to social care: how AI and big data are revolutionising UK local government

For the average citizen, the concept of government is rarely defined by debates in Westminster. Instead, it is defined by the daily reality of their local environment: Is the recycling collected on time? Are the roads free of potholes? Can I easily apply for a parking permit? Is my elderly parent receiving the care they need?

Local authorities are the engine room of the UK public sector. They deliver the services that people use day in and day out. Consequently, the most regular interactions with government are through their local council. In an era of instant gratification and seamless digital consumer experiences, public expectations for these services are rightly high.

However, the reality for many councils is a struggle against friction: they are often tied to legacy infrastructure that cannot keep pace with modern demands. Despite these limitations, a quiet revolution is taking place. Across the UK, forward-thinking councils are demonstrating the immense power of digital innovation, leveraging Big Data and Artificial Intelligence (AI) to deliver better outcomes for residents.

From predictive analytics preventing homelessness to robots repairing roads, the sector is moving from a reactive stance to a proactive one, potentially unlocking billions in productivity gains.

The move from reaction to prevention in infrastructure

One of the most visible applications of AI in the public sector is in the management of physical infrastructure. Traditionally, council maintenance has been reactive, waiting for a resident to report a problem before fixing it. New technologies are flipping this model on its head.

In Hertfordshire, the County Council is pioneering a futuristic approach to a centuries-old problem: road maintenance. Collaborating with the University of Liverpool, they have developed an autonomous robot capable of identifying and repairing road damage before potholes even form. By using AI to analyse road surface data, the robot creates a preventative maintenance cycle that saves money on costly major repairs and saves drivers from the frustration of damaged vehicles.

Similarly, in London, the challenge of fly-tipping and street cleanliness is being tackled with machine learning. Westminster City Council has deployed the ReportIT service, which allows residents to snap a photo of street issues. The system quickly identifies fly-tipping and other hazards from the images, categorising the job and dispatching crews. This significantly reduces the administrative burden on staff and ensures that streets stay cleaner. This, in turn, can produce further benefits for civic pride and public safety.

Meanwhile, Northumberland County Council is using data to battle the elements. Their Flood AI system provides early flood warnings by analysing complex environmental data sets. At a time of deep concern over climate instability, this use of big data doesn’t just save money; it protects property and lives by giving residents and emergency services more time to prepare.

Transforming social care and vulnerable support

While infrastructure improvements are highly visible, the most profound impact of Big Data and AI lies in social care and the protection of vulnerable residents. This area consumes the vast majority of local authority budgets, and it is here that efficiency gains can have the most human impact.

North Yorkshire Council provides a compelling roadmap for the sector. They are utilising AI to assist social care workers in managing the deluge of case notes, forms, and assessments required in their daily work. By summarising and organising this data, AI frees up social workers to do what they entered the profession to do: spend time with families and children. This is a beneficial efficiency in a sector facing chronic staffing shortages; technology is not replacing the human element, but rather removing the administrative barriers that are a drain on staff.

Data is also being used to safeguard physical health within the home. In a scaled deployment across a number of London boroughs, sensors have been installed in social housing to monitor environmental conditions. These Internet of Things (IoT) devices feed data back to councils, allowing them to identify conditions conducive to damp and mould before they pose a health risk to tenants. This proactive approach – driven by the tragic necessity to improve housing standards – ensures that swift action can be taken, protecting both the asset and the health of the resident.

The power of predictive analytics

Perhaps the most transformative application of Big Data is the ability to predict crises before they happen. The collaboration between Maidstone Borough Council and Kent County Council serves as a gold standard for this approach. By developing a platform that analyses various data points, they can predict the risk of homelessness months in advance.

This insight allows the councils to intervene early with support and guidance, preventing the catastrophic loss of housing. The results speak for themselves: the initiative has contributed to reductions in homelessness of up to 40%.

Accessibility is another frontier being conquered by AI. Swindon Borough Council is using generative AI to make complex government documents accessible for people with learning disabilities. Their Simply Readable solution converts dense official text into an easy-read format, helping people that might be excluded by language or literacy issues.

The £45 billion opportunity

These examples do not yet represent the norm in local government. However, they represent ideas that are ready to evolve and be spread to every region in the UK.

The economic case for scaling these technologies is undeniable. The government’s State of Digital Government Review identified a staggering £45 billion per year of unrealised productivity benefits across the public sector. A substantial portion of this potential sits within local government.

By harnessing the power of data, UK councils are proving that they can do more than just keep the lights on; they can build a smarter, safer, and more empathetic public service for everyone. These technologies are no longer a futuristic concept – they are here, working, and ready to scale.

LPP Clinical Digital Solutions framework expires

The NHS London Procurement Partnership Clinical Digital Solutions framework (CDS) expired on 31 December, marking the conclusion of a key procurement route for digital healthcare technology. Bramble Hub served as a thin-prime supplier on this framework, enabling our network of partners to deliver critical innovations – ranging from AI and automation to specialist clinical systems – to NHS trusts and public sector bodies across the UK.

Following the closure of the CDS framework, Bramble Hub continues to offer a comprehensive range of digital and technology services through other active agreements. Buyers in the clinical sector can still procure services via other frameworks, including the CCS Vertical Application Solutions (VAS) and NHS SBS Cloud Solutions 2 frameworks.

Bramble Hub celebrates 25 years of delivering solutions to the public sector

Bramble Hub marks a significant milestone today, celebrating 25 years since the company was first registered, on 5 January 2001. From our origins as a technical consultancy to our current position as the leading thin-prime supplier on UK government frameworks, we have spent a quarter-century connecting innovative partners with public sector organisations.

From technical roots to a thin-prime model

Bramble Hub was founded (originally as Bramble.cc) by Richard Archer, our current Managing Director, and Mike Parsons, who were specialists in delivering document solutions and technical services. In our early years, we would bid for government contracts as a prime contractor, subcontracting project work to other organisations.

Over time, our business model evolved: we stopped delivering solutions directly and exclusively became a thin-prime supplier, working with a growing network of delivery partners. This strategic shift enabled Bramble Hub to leverage the expertise of specialist SMEs (as well as large suppliers) while providing the commercial support needed to navigate complex public sector tendering processes.

Extensive framework presence

Today, we operate as a supplier on 19 active frameworks, including 14 from Crown Commercial Service (CCS). Our breadth of coverage spans the full spectrum of public sector requirements, from technology services and IT infrastructure to management consultancy and software products.

Recent Bramble Hub successes include being named as a supplier on all lots of CCS’s Technology Services 4 (TS4) enabling us to continue our commitment to enabling our partners to sell their services via government technology contracts.

Our partners drive our success

Central to Bramble Hub’s model is our broad network of partners, ranging from small specialist providers to larger organisations. These partners bring expertise across diverse areas including data management, digital transformation, cyber security, cloud services, and professional consultancy services.

“Our thin-prime model enables best-of-breed specialist partners to win and deliver public sector projects without the constraints of traditional procurement barriers,” says Partner Director Shanice Rostampour. Partners identify opportunities, with Bramble Hub’s expert tendering team working alongside them to secure contracts, before stepping back to allow partners to focus on delivery.

Looking ahead

As we enter our 26th year, we continues to expand our framework presence and partner network. With public sector digital transformation accelerating, and demand for specialist expertise growing, the company is well-positioned to support both buyers and suppliers in navigating the evolving procurement landscape.

Richard Archer remains at the helm as Owner and Managing Director, supported by a dedicated team including Commercial Director Geoff Couling, Partner Director Shanice Rostampour, and Strategic Alliances Director Matt Bell.

Open Fifth: empowering UK public service libraries through open-source innovation

Open Fifth, formerly known as PTFS Europe, stands as one of the UK’s leading providers of open source library software. As a Bramble Hub partner, Open Fifth’s technology and expertise are now more accessible than ever to the UK’s public sector. Through Bramble Hub’s role as a thin-prime supplier on government frameworks, public sector organisations can procure Open Fifth’s innovative solutions efficiently, compliantly, and cost-effectively.

Open Fifth: freeing libraries to do what they do best

Founded in 2007, Open Fifth has grown from a two-person startup to a trusted name supporting over 150 UK libraries. The company provides open-source, cloud-hosted solutions such as:

  • Koha, the world’s most deployed open-source library management system
  • Aspen Discovery, a highly customisable discovery layer integrating catalogues, e-resources, and archives
  • Metabase, a business intelligence tool for data analytics and visualisation
  • DSpace and AtoM, for institutional repositories and archival access

With ISO 27001 certification and a strong commitment to cybersecurity, Open Fifth provides expert hosting, data migration, implementation, and support, ensuring reliability for public sector libraries operating under strict data integrity requirements.

The customer benefits of open source

By working with open source products, Open Fifth customers benefit not only from the company’s in-house experts, but a global community committed to the innovation and improvement of the software. The products are continuously maintained and enhanced by the communities of developers and librarians behind them – a process that customer libraries can get involved with as much or as little as they like.

Software enhancements and new features can be developed to meet a library’s specific needs, with this work then released to all users of the software, free of charge. This enables libraries to build upon each other’s efforts, as well as inspire and learn from one another. This provides a level of functionality and quality far beyond what any of the technical teams or support companies like Open Fifth could achieve in isolation.

Another key feature of open-source software is that there are no licence fees, the software is available to freely download and use, and no vendor lock-in either. Libraries can choose to pay support companies like Open Fifth for their services for implementation, data migration, hosting, support, and bespoke software development.

Jonathan Field, Open Fifth Managing Director, shared “When we started Open Fifth (then PTFS Europe) in 2007 we wanted to do something different from the other library system vendors. Open source was in its infancy in terms of the understanding by libraries of what it could offer. We saw it as an ethical and technically sound alternative and, thanks to some innovative libraries who lead the charge, it is now a mainstream offering. In fact, open source is often the preferred technology choice over proprietary software based on all the now widely known benefits of adopting open source as a software solution.”

A brand rooted in harmony

The rebrand from PTFS Europe to Open Fifth marked more than a change of name. Inspired by the musical concept of an open fifth – a harmonious interval of the first and fifth notes – the name pays tribute to the company’s founder and Managing Director Jonathan Field and Commercial Director Andrew Auld, who first met in a choir nearly 30 years ago. The rebrand reflects the company’s dedication to openness, collaboration, and shared growth – principles that resonate with both the open-source community and the UK public service.

Serving the UK’s public and academic sectors

While Open Fifth’s clients are predominantly in the public and academic sectors, their products are also widely used in health, government, and museum libraries, each benefiting from open-source flexibility without the constraints of licensing fees. Being open source, the  company’s products are widely used globally, with Koha implemented in over 18,000 sites worldwide and Aspen Discovery now used by more than 1,500 institutions.

Enabling innovation through partnership

Together, Bramble Hub and Open Fifth are freeing libraries to spend less time navigating procurement and more time empowering their communities through innovative, open, and sustainable technology.

 

 

 

Axis12 brings innovation and agility to the regulatory sector

Bramble Hub is delighted to welcome Axis12 to our partner network: a specialist digital services provider with a strong record of supporting UK regulators and government bodies through complex transformation programmes. With expertise spanning data management, secure hosting, and user-centred design, Axis12 joins Bramble Hub ready to bring fresh innovation and technical depth to public sector projects.

We met Mark and Luke Harrop, two of Axis12’s directors, to explore the company’s strong track record in the regulatory sector, their focus on delivering agile, innovative solutions, and their embrace of AI and other cutting-edge technologies.

Proven expertise in regulation and data

“We’ve worked with the Care Quality Commission for almost 15 years – we know their data, their systems, and their people inside out.”

Axis12 has spent over 15 years delivering solutions for some of the UK’s most important regulators, including the Care Quality Commission (CQC). The company has developed and supported systems that are central to how healthcare providers register, undergo inspection, and share performance data with the public. Their technology has played a key role in CQC accelerating its Digital First programme and away from what were heavily paper-based processes, enabling CQC to operate more efficiently and transparently.

Agile thinking and innovative delivery

“Our strength lies in lightweight, innovative solutions – tactical systems that just work.”

As an SME, Axis12 prides itself on its ability to move quickly, think creatively, and deliver tactical solutions that work. Their systems for CQC were originally designed as short-term platforms, yet some remained in place for more than a decade because of their reliability and effectiveness. This kind of lightweight innovation sets Axis12 apart from more traditional consultancy approaches, and reflects their philosophy of solving real-world challenges with practical, enduring technology.

Designing around users, not technology

“User research and testing aren’t box-ticking exercises – they’re central to success.”

Axis12’s approach to digital delivery is grounded in a deep understanding of users. Their recent work with Acas, the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service, demonstrates a commitment to thorough user research and prototyping. By investing significant time in understanding user journeys, Axis12 ensures the services they build are accessible, intuitive, and genuinely helpful for the people who rely on them.

Secure and sustainable hosting

“We host some of the UK’s most sensitive data in private, accredited environments built for resilience and security.”

Security and resilience underpin Axis12’s service offering. The company hosts some of the UK’s most sensitive regulatory data in accredited private data centres, providing full control over performance, access, and compliance. Their hosting has been trusted by clients including the Office for Nuclear Regulation, the Human Tissue Authority and the National Audit Office. Axis12’s combination of secure infrastructure and hands-on technical expertise helps government organisations safeguard critical information and maintain operational confidence.

Looking forward

“We see a real niche in helping government strengthen their internal tech capability – that’s where we thrive.”

Axis12 continues to push into new areas of innovation, exploring how AI, cyber bill of materials (CBOM), and post-quantum security can strengthen the next generation of government systems. These forward-looking initiatives align closely with public sector priorities around resilience, transparency, and data integrity.

A strong addition to the Bramble Hub network

Axis12’s partnership with Bramble Hub represents a valuable extension of capability for public sector buyers, combining agile delivery with deep sector knowledge and a strong track record in regulated environments. Together, we look forward to helping public sector organisations modernise safely, efficiently, and with users at the heart of every decision.

Bramble Hub named as a supplier on all lots of new Technology Services 4 (TS4) framework

The Bramble Hub team is proud to announce that we have been named as a supplier on all lots of Crown Commercial Service’s (CCS’s) newly launched Technology Services 4 (TS4) framework (RM6190). This achievement ensures that Bramble Hub and our network of technology partners can continue to provide a comprehensive range of technology services to the UK public sector, from strategic consultancy to major service transformation.

TS4 is the successor to the highly successful Technology Services 3 (TS3) agreement, and is CCS’s primary route to market for technology services. By securing a position on every available lot, Bramble Hub reaffirms its commitment to connecting innovative SMEs with government buyers across the full spectrum of IT requirements.

This latest award means that we are currently a supplier on 19 frameworks, including 14 from CCS. Bramble Hub has been a supplier on TS4’s predecessors, including TS3 and TS2 as well as the original Technology Services framework.

Comprehensive access to government technology contracts

The TS4 framework introduces a revised structure designed to accommodate both large-scale transformation programmes and smaller, more agile projects. Bramble Hub’s appointment covers the entire scope of the agreement, including the new “Lower Value & Complexity” sub-lots.

Bramble Hub is now able to offer services through the following lots:

  • Lot 1: Technology Strategy and Service Design

  • Lot 2: Transition and Service Integration and Management (SIAM)

  • Lot 3 & 3a: End User Services (including Lower Value & Complexity)

  • Lot 4 & 4a: Infrastructure Management (including Lower Value & Complexity)

  • Lot 5 & 5a: Application and Data Management (including Lower Value & Complexity)

  • Lot 6: Major Services Transformation Programmes

Empowering SMEs in public sector IT

“Securing a place on all lots of Technology Services 4 is a testament to the strength and diversity of our partner network,” said Shanice Rostampour, Bramble Hub’s Partner Director. “TS4 is set to be one of the public sector’s most critical procurement vehicles for the next few years. Our position ensures that whether a public sector body requires a system enhancement, a cloud migration, or a complete digital transformation, they can access the best expertise the UK industry has to offer through Bramble Hub.”

About Crown Commercial Service

CCS supports the public sector to achieve maximum commercial value when procuring common goods and services.

How Basemap is transforming transport planning in the UK and beyond

Bramble Hub is pleased to introduce our partner Basemap, a specialist provider of transport data and analytical software. The company delivers innovative solutions to public and private sector organisations, helping them make better-informed decisions about transport planning across the UK and increasingly worldwide.

From consultancy roots to software innovation

Basemap was founded in 2000 by two transport planners who initially focused on providing consultancy to local authorities. For more than a decade, the team also resold geographic software tools from US-based companies. By 2013, they recognised an opportunity to deliver more advanced, tailored solutions by developing products in-house. Their first software, TRACC, was launched the following year. Mark Gallagher, now Chief Executive, joined in 2016 and has since guided the company’s growth with his extensive experience in technology and business leadership.

A portfolio built for transport planning challenges

Basemap has created a suite of powerful products designed to support evidence-based planning:

TRACC enables local authorities and transport planners to analyse accessibility and calculate journey times across multiple transport modes. It processes millions of journey calculations to produce detailed insights that have supported many significant public sector decisions.

Highways Analyst provides real-time average speed data for the UK road network. Drawing on telematics data from more than 100,000 vehicles reporting every ten seconds, it gives emergency services and other sectors reliable information to optimise routing. As Mark Gallagher notes, “Leicester Fire and Rescue Service… want to know how they can route their fire engines the best way… they think they’ve saved lives with our software.”

DataCutter simplifies the extraction of large transport datasets, enabling users to define and download exactly the geographic data they need. A recently launched global version now supports regions including Australia, North America, Europe, and Asia.

Electric Vehicle Routing (EVR) is Basemap’s contribution to sustainable transport. Developed in partnership with the University of Surrey’s artificial intelligence department, it uses machine learning to optimise electric vehicle routes by considering variables such as elevation, temperature, weight, and wind. Major US logistics operators are already adopting the tool.

Supporting national data infrastructure

Basemap plays a key role in maintaining and supplying essential transport datasets in the United Kingdom. The company provides speed limit and average speed data to Ordnance Survey, which distributes this information to around 5,000 public sector organisations. Basemap also manages national public transport databases on behalf of Traveline, standardising data from operators and making it openly accessible.

Today, approximately 70% of UK county councils use Basemap’s tools, along with private sector clients ranging from global corporations to specialist consultancies. Their work consistently supports evidence-based decision-making. Mark Gallagher highlights this impact with a recent example: Somerset used their products to determine which stroke units to retain, which had a direct effect on patient outcomes.

Strategic development and global expansion

Based in Guildford and supported by a team of 18 specialists, Basemap continues to grow internationally, operating in the United States, Canada, Poland, Sweden, India, and Australia. This expansion builds on their global data infrastructure and demonstrates increasing international demand for Basemap’s approach to transport analytics.

Bramble Hub is proud to partner with Basemap. Their technical strength, commitment to innovation, and dedication to solving real-world challenges make them an invaluable part of our partner network. Their solutions are helping public sector organisations improve service delivery, strengthen planning decisions, and achieve measurable performance improvements.

GDS Local sets out to fix tech procurement in local government

A new government unit, GDS Local, has been launched by the Government Digital Service to address long-standing problems in local authority procurement of digital services. Ministers present it as a way to end the “ball and chain” of restrictive IT contracts and to close the digital maturity gap between central and local government. Supporters welcome the prospect of greater leverage and shared tools for councils, while early reactions also highlight questions around funding, local autonomy, and the possibility of yet another central initiative failing to shift deeply entrenched cultural issues.

Local government’s procurement problem

For years, many councils have depended on long, monolithic contracts with a handful of dominant suppliers, particularly in areas such as revenues and benefits, housing, social care and CRM. These contracts often run for seven years or longer, and tend to bundle multiple functions into a single proprietary platform. Once in place, they are costly and risky to change, even when the software becomes outdated or fails to integrate well with newer tools.

Commentary around the GDS Local launch reinforces how this model can swallow large portions of IT budgets, leave councils stuck with legacy systems, and slow innovation compared with modular, cloud-based approaches. Local digital leaders frequently point to cases where systems for housing or revenues become the de-facto “core” for everything from online forms to document management, meaning even small improvements require expensive vendor work or bespoke integrations rather than simply replacing a single component.

What GDS Local is and how it works

GDS Local is a new specialist team within the Government Digital Service, part of DSIT, which was launched in November. Its intention is to bring central and local government together around shared digital products, standards and procurement models. The team’s remit is built around three pillars:

  • opening up GDS products such as GOV.UK One Login and the GOV.UK app to councils
  • reforming how councils procure technology
  • building joined-up data capabilities through the Government Digital and Data Hub

The unit is expected to work directly with local authorities, the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government and the Local Government Association to co-develop a strategic vision for local government technology. The ambition is to define a common “local government tech stack”, where core elements, such as identity, payments and case-management patterns, are shared and reused, with councils layering their own local variations on top.

Freeing local government procurement from “ball and chain” contracts

A major part of GDS Local’s mission is to challenge the pattern of long, restrictive single-supplier deals that lock councils into inflexible and expensive technology. Launch materials reference “ball and chain” contracts where councils pay premium prices for outdated systems and have little room to switch vendors or adopt modern cloud services.

In response, the unit aims to:

  • help councils shift to more competitive, flexible frameworks and multi-supplier models rather than all-in-one platforms
  • promote shared building blocks, such as One Login, common data models and reusable components, so councils aren’t repeatedly procuring the same functionality
  • use aggregated demand and standardised requirements to strengthen buying power and encourage new suppliers into a market dominated by a few incumbents

The Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, an early partner, is being highlighted as a proof-of-concept: central and local teams collaborating on shared digital patterns rather than each commissioning separate stacks.

Long-term goals and ambitions

The government frames GDS Local as part of a wider blueprint for a modern digital state. Long-term ambitions include ending the “postcode lottery” in digital service quality so that residents can expect equally modern, reliable online experiences regardless of where they live.

Ministers also want most people to access both national and local services through a single GOV.UK account and app, simplifying journeys such as applying for a driving licence, reporting a pothole, or managing council tax. The wider strategy emphasises productivity, suggesting that shared digital infrastructure and better data use across central and local government could unlock tens of billions of pounds in efficiency and service improvements. For suppliers, the direction points towards a market built on interoperable, standards-based products that plug into a common stack, rather than all-or-nothing suite deals.

Early reactions: optimism mixed with caution

Initial feedback from central and local government bodies has been broadly positive, with an emphasis on collaboration and the potential to accelerate transformation. The Local Government Association has welcomed the focus on local government tech, describing it as an opportunity to speed up change and support more accessible, efficient and locally tailored services. Industry groups such as techUK see it as a chance to open up the market and stimulate innovation.

However, sector press and practitioner networks also highlight concerns. These include:

  • whether councils will receive the funding and capacity needed to exit existing contracts
  • the risk that a centrally led model could dilute local autonomy or add complexity
  • whether ambitious plans for shared stacks and data hubs can survive political cycles and financial pressures

Some analysts point out that this isn’t the first attempt to fix local government IT procurement; GDS Local will ultimately be judged on whether it can produce tangible improvements to local government services.