‘New era of digital transformation’ for London councils

The London Office of Technology and Innovation (LOTI) has officially launched, expecting to improve London’s public services via faster adoption of technology, data and digital skills.

The city-wide venture – a collaboration between London boroughs with the Mayor of London’s backing – has a mission of fostering radical and effective ideas for the benefit of citizens, communities and businesses.

LOTI’s initial enabling projects will include: developing London’s digital skills base and ensuring that all Londoners can benefit from the growth in tech employment; speeding up opportunities for collaboration and providing a single place for the market to understand councils needs through the adoption of Pipeline (the LocalGov Digital platform); allowing the innovative use of data to tackle our biggest social and public services challenges; and improving trust, transparency and greater collaboration with citizens, public agencies and the private sector through the development of the London Data Store.

LOTI’s priorities have been driven by the 15 founding boroughs who form the Core LOTI group. It is anticipated that more boroughs will join Core LOTI and that strategic partnerships will be formed with other public services and universities, as well as joint work with tech firms.

Eddie Copeland, director of LOTI, said: “Making better use of technology and data is key to so many of the challenges London faces. To meet the needs and expectations of London’s fast-growing population, public services in the capital must be set up to thrive in the internet age and make the most of all the tools and methods at their disposal.

“LOTI has a crucial role to play and I’m hugely excited to be leading this new venture. Through building shared capability among the boroughs, we will improve London’s capacity to experiment, collaborate and secure all sorts of important benefits for Londoners.”

Theo Blackwell, London’s Chief Digital Officer, said: “The capital’s public services need to be able to anticipate and make the most out of future developments in technology. LOTI will support digital collaboration across London’s councils and play a crucial role in mobilising the capital’s tech sector and universities as we develop new services for Londoners together.

“All cities need to think how best they mobilise their public agencies, universities and tech sectors to solve urban problems, big or small, facing the citizens we serve. Our work together takes the next step in city-wide collaboration by supporting the common building blocks – date-sharing, leadership, talent, creating and sharing digital services together – London needs as we go through a period of rapid technological change."

Eddie Copeland is the current director of Government Innovation at the innovation foundation Nesta and formerly head of Technology Policy at the think-tank Policy Exchange.