As the UK marks one year since its national AI Action Plan, council leaders are beginning to see where artificial intelligence can deliver real value – and where it can help them navigate unprecedented pressures.
Local authorities across the UK are facing the toughest financial conditions in a generation. According to the Local Government Association, councils in England alone face a funding gap of more than £4 billion over the next two years, driven by rising demand for social care, spiralling housing costs and inflationary pressures on everything from road maintenance to waste services. Despite the scale of the challenge, statutory obligations remain, leaving councils searching for efficiencies, new funding models and ways to maintain – or even improve – frontline services.
