Councils given £1.2m for innovative digital projects

Six councils across England will receive a share of £1.2m of government funding to spearhead innovative digital projects to improve public services.

Each council will receive a grant of up to £350,000 to push forward existing projects that will benefit residents by harnessing digital technology to create smarter ways to deliver public services such as housing repairs and the planning process.

These six councils will lead the projects while also working in partnership with 14 other councils across the country, bringing together expertise and sharing the results.

This builds on £2.5m already invested in local authority projects through the Local Digital Fund. A total of 23 projects have been funded since the Fund’s launch in 2018, all working to improve the way councils deliver services for residents.

Local Government Minister Simon Clarke MP said: “Digital technology has enormous potential to benefit society and improve our lives in countless ways and I am determined that councils harness its potential too. That is why I have announced £1.2m for councils to continue their work on truly innovative projects to improve public services for people across the country.”