Reimagining London’s Public Services with Tech, Data & Innovation at the IET
On Wednesday 11th September, as the digital lead for Local Government at Starfish Search, Rosalind Lambert had the pleasure of attending Reimagining London’s Public Services with Tech, Data & Innovation at the IET. It was an incredible event with Eddie Copeland, Director at LOTI, as key speaker.
Eddie gave a great lecture on the future of Local Government and how using data and technology to innovate we can really improve lives of our communities, as long as the people, the users, are taken along on this journey. Tech is not just a waving a magical wand and implementing a new system, especially where digital poverty exists. We need to be able to firstly lift our communities out digital poverty before innovation can truly happen. Additionally, it is important that Borough’s work together, sharing ideas, data, costs and innovations as the solutions affect all Londoner’s as relatively few citizens live and work in one Borough and this is where LOTI has its maximum impact.
That said, innovation and the art of imagination of what we can do has started to have positive returns. The South London Partnership is using IOT sensors for preventative measures for flooding, RBKC are using generative AI to assess and prioritise resident spotted graffiti for cleaning, Brent is starting to use AI to write up case notes in social care freeing up valuable time, and Harrow is using a visual AI tool to reconcile advertising hoardings with business rates, resulting in capturing lost revenue. Outside of London Swindon has reduced its translation costs by 99% through using Google Translate and has increased public engagement by being able to communicate in citizen’s native language.
Against a background of cost cutting there are some great ideas and innovations taking place not only in the capital with this month Sunderland City Council’s Digital Inclusion Programme winning the Community Improvement Award at the Connected Britain Awards. Sunderland have helped over 200,000 residents’ access vital digital services and have doubled full-fibre connectivity across Sunderland in just 12 months. Long may it continue.
Should you wish to have a chat about your digital transformation journey, please contact the team at info@starfishsearch.com.
Further growth planned for Starfish
Organisations across Civil Society stand to play a more important role than ever before in our society. As political, economic and social pressures compound, populations served by both the Public Sector and by charities are already relying on them more heavily – and these services are only set to grow in importance. Continuing to deliver them well, while also undergoing transformation, requires the right boards and the right executive leadership.
The 2026 leadership paradox: balancing tactical survival with strategic transformation (And why modern leadership isn’t about rules)
Leadership in 2026 is a balancing act: responding to immediate pressures while preparing for long-term transformation. In our latest article, we explore how these competing demands are reshaping senior recruitment, boardroom dynamics and expectations of modern leaders. From financial resilience and fundraising to AI-driven change and evolving governance, discover why successful leadership today is less about following the rules and more about navigating uncertainty with clarity, agility and purpose.
Upcoming Webinar – Starfish Search | Hanover Talent Presents: Embrace your Imposter
Imposter syndrome is more than a passing wobble in confidence - it’s a pattern that quietly shapes how you work, lead and show up. Why does that matter? Because left unchecked, it doesn’t just affect how you feel - it affects the opportunities you go for and the impact you make. That means moving beyond simply pushing through the doubt to understand where it comes from, which type of imposter you are, and how to reframe it. It’s the difference between an imposter that holds you back - and one that works for you.
ACCREDITATIONS
ESPO is a public sector owned professional buying organisation (PBO), specialising in providing a wide range of goods and services to the public sector for over 40 years. Starfish Search has been awarded a place on ESPO’s Strategic HR Services framework (3S). Please contact us to find out how we can support under this framework.
Starfish are proud to be certified Disability Confident Committed. This scheme provides employers with the knowledge, skills and confidence needed to attract, recruit, retain and develop disabled people in the workplace.
Bloom, launched in 2012 is the UK’s leading marketplace for professional services. They provide an end-to-end solution for the procurement, contract management and payment of all professional services, via the compliant NEPRO³ framework. Their public sector clients have access to 20 professional services categories and over 4500 accredited suppliers. Bloom provides swift routes to market via either direct award or mini competition. Starfish is an accredited supplier to BLOOM; our services can be accessed via this framework - Executive and Non-Executive Search and Interim Management.
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