Thinks Tank calls for radical use of ‘mGovernment’ to drive transformation of local governance

February 8, 2006

A new report published today by independent think tank the New Local Government Network (NLGN), and supported by O2, is calling on local authorities to fully realise the potential of mobile IT and adopt a greater ‘mGovernment’ approach towards the delivery of local services and governance arrangements.



Arguing that the widespread use of mobile technology by UK citizens will not stop with their interactions with commercial companies, Cutting the Wires: Mobile IT and the transformation of local services and governance warns that such change is unavoidable and that local authorities face a stark choice:



    “Councils can choose to lead and direct this process of change, moulding attitudes and giving direction both within and outside local government, improving performance and rejuvenating the relationship between the citizen and representative. Or, local government can choose not to pre-empt these changing expectations and hope that existing structures for representation and service delivery can cope with evolving expectations. The latter would, without doubt, present a significant risk to the future relevance of local governance in the UK.”



The NLGN report has been welcomed by local government minister, Jim Fitzpatrick MP. Writing in the foreword, Mr Fitzpatrick observes the need to develop a new strategy that builds on the success of local eGovernment to date but which provokes a step change in local authority performance:



    “One of the benefits that this report highlights is how using mobile technologies can deliver better jobs and reinforce the public service ethos. Being mobile can enable local public servants to deliver better outcomes and better fulfil local needs, increasing job satisfaction. And, by linking with the devices in citizens’ pockets, it can ensure that public services will be relevant to people’s lives in the future.”



While the report – by eGovernment commentator Michael Cross and NLGN’s James MacGregor – draws on current practice to prove how trailblazing local authorities are making a real difference to the lives of individuals and communities, it also offers future scenarios of what might result from officers and councillors interacting through ‘mGovernment’:



    “[…] Mary remembers the movie clip sent last week about the obscene message sprayed on the bus shelter, and emails local councillor Bas. Her next stop is one of the council’s neighbourhood offices. On the way, she notices that the bus shelter has been cleaned up. Making sure her phone is in ‘constructive dialogue’ rather than ‘complaint’ mode, she sends a quick ‘thanks’ to Bas. […]”



Responding to the picture of mobile IT use painted by Cutting the Wires, Mike Short, Vice President for Research & Development at O2 said:



    “Mobile phone technology is already enabling local councils to transform and improve the way they interact with citizens and deliver public services. But what we have seen to date is just the beginning. If fully embraced mobile IT can deliver much more by empowering people who both provide and rely upon local services, and enable local public servants to spend more time in the communities they serve.”



The NLGN report concludes with key policy recommendations for both local and central government, and also technology suppliers:



Local government



  • To transform working practices and relationships with citizens by using mobile IT, thereby realising potential benefits for citizens, service users, officers and politicians

  • To adopt performance management software systems for pushing up efficiency, populated by data collected with mobile devices such as a “digital dashboard”

  • To incorporate mobile IT commitments into existing strategies, in partnership with neighbouring authorities and regional bodies

  • To lead the development of effective and responsible data sharing between departments and agencies at local level

  • To develop and embed an innovative culture, garnering political and senior officer buy-in for innovative approaches and creative solutions

  • To be accurate and transparent about the cost of mobile IT projects, demonstrably quantifying costs and savings in time, capital and office space



Central government



  • To fund an exemplary mobile local authority to go far beyond current pilots to show what local government could look like in 2012. e.g. through requiring effective and imaginative use of mobile IT from contenders in the Digital Challenge

  • To help develop an effective tool for constructing sound business cases at local level

  • To legislate on the principal of assumed competence of local government in sharing personal data between local agencies

  • To recognise the reality of the digital divide in setting strategies involving mobile technology. It is central government’s responsibility to ensure all citizens can use electronic public services

  • To play a pivotal role in procurement, using national leverage to secure better deals, while explicitly maintaining diversity in available hardware and software solutions

  • To support efforts to freely disseminate knowledge from projects such as Nomad

  • To develop minimum, output-based standards for local authorities, while avoiding being over-prescriptive, allowing for local flexibility according to local circumstances



Technology suppliers



  • Handset manufacturers should work closely with local public bodies to devise hardware suited to public needs

  • Network operators should work more closely with the public sector to design pricing models applicable to public need

  • Network operators should continue to develop and market “mesh networks” to provide seamless data connectivity

  • The industry should provide a clear roadmap of future development, to allow public bodies to invest with confidence





All media enquiries to James Hulme at NLGN on 020 7357 0116



Notes for Editors:

The New Local Government Network (NLGN) is an independent think tank, seeking to transform public services, revitalise local political leadership and empower local communities. www.nlgn.org.uk



Cutting the Wires: Mobile IT and the transformation of local services and governance by Michael Cross and James MacGregor is available from NLGN, price £12 (plus £1.25 p&p) at info@nlgn.org.uk



O2 is a leading provider of mobile services to consumers and businesses in the UK. It is the leader in non-voice services, including text, media messaging, games, music and video, as well as always on data connections via GPRS, 3G and WLAN. Every month, O2’s 16 million customers send well over a billion text messages. O2 (UK) is a subsidiary of O2 plc which also owns O2 branded mobile operators in Ireland and Germany as well as the O2 Airwave emergency services network in the UK. For b-roll footage of O2, please visit www.thenewshub.co.uk)



For further information on O2 please contact:

Louie St Claire, O2 Press Office, 07834 093217 / louie.stclaire@o2.com

Alexis Dalrymple, Cohn & Wolfe, 07739 333288 / alexis_dalrymple@uk.cohnwolfe.com


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