Local government reorganisation is accelerating across the UK, reshaping how councils are structured, governed and expected to deliver for their communities. As momentum builds, there is growing recognition that reorganisation must be about more than boundaries and governance models. It must also focus on how places stay connected, how services integrate and how technology enables collaboration at scale.
This thinking sits at the heart of Connected Devolution, the Localis research paper commissioned by TechnologyOne. The research examines how digital capability, commercial relationships and organisational culture will shape whether reorganisation delivers meaningful benefits for residents or simply reproduces existing challenges in new structures.
Reorganisation is driven by the ambition to deliver more coherent, efficient and community centred public services. Achieving this in practice requires councils to work more closely together and rely on systems that can support new ways of operating. It also requires technology providers to step up as genuine partners, supporting change rather than standing at arm's length as structures shift around them.
Periods of structural change inevitably bring uncertainty. Councils must navigate complex decisions around service integration, data migration, workforce change and long term digital strategy. This is precisely when software providers should offer clarity, flexibility and practical support. The sector cannot afford a model where councils feel locked into outdated systems or face excessive costs simply to retain access to legacy data. That approach undermines public value and long-term resilience.
Relationships between councils and technology providers must be grounded in trust and shared purpose. Providers should help simplify processes, reduce duplication and build platforms that can evolve with new organisational structures, not exploit uncertainty to maximise revenue. Equally, councils should feel confident challenging commercial models that do not align with community benefit.
At TechnologyOne, we see reorganisation as a rare opportunity to reset how digital infrastructure supports communities. Modern cloud platforms, open data standards and integrated systems can remove barriers between organisations and enable seamless service delivery. But this only works when partnership, transparency and long-term collaboration are placed ahead of short-term commercial advantage.
Connected Devolution highlights a once in a generation opportunity. Councils and technology providers must seize it together.
Emma Foy is Local Government Lead at TechnologyOne
