One council, one vision: How technology will power the next chapter of local government

Local government reorganisation is no longer speculative; it’s already mapped, funded, and advancing. But, behind the headlines, the real work starts once the dust settles: merging operations, consolidating services, and ensuring that residents aren’t left navigating a patchwork of broken portals and inconsistent service standards. 

Most legacy systems were never designed to talk to each other. In a single-tier structure, this challenge becomes a chance to integrate technology, removing the barriers that once created data silos. By moving towards unified systems, councils can streamline processes, reduce duplication, and unlock more efficient ways of working. Integration doesn’t just save time and money but also enables staff to collaborate more easily and ensures residents experience a seamless service without the friction caused by fragmented technology. 

So, the operational challenge is clear: start planning, identify your delivery goal improvements and evaluate your partners to unify your systems. 

Unifying disconnected systems across services

The shift to unitary councils is an opportunity to leave duplication behind. Yet for many authorities, it’s providing many operational challenges, particularly where services like housing management or benefits processing are split across incompatible systems. A SaaS system offers many key benefits to councils including built-in scalability, up-to-date technical compliance and Cloud only functionality.   

To move forward, councils must adopt a modern approach. This means focusing on what services are really being delivered, breaking down complicated systems into simpler parts and clarifying ownership and clear integration paths. Cloud solutions support this shift by enabling councils to decouple legacy dependencies, streamline contract and renewal management, and build a foundation for scalable, future-proof service delivery. 

Transformation on the ground, not just on paper

Too much of the conversation around transformation is stuck in the abstract. Reorganisation is not. It’s happening now. And unless councils approach it with a clear, connected digital plan, they’ll spend years untangling the consequences. However, this plan must limit risk by identifying partners having a proven pedigree not only in supplying highly functional software but also in migrating data from disparate systems to a consolidated unitary solution. Many software suppliers do not have a proven data conversion track record which can be referenced and this is fundamental to the success of unitary software consolidation.   

MRI Software has a wealth of experience when it comes consolidating systems to support the formation of unitary councils with Cornwall being cited as one of the largest Unitary consolidation projects in 2009, with many more in between, all being delivered accurately, within planned timescales and with successful outcomes.   

Most recently, West Northamptonshire Council is a great example of how they partnered with MRI Software, following its transition to a new unitary structure, to unify its revenues and benefits system across the new authority in only 12 months. The result? A single, cloud-based platform that replaced three disparate systems, streamlined operations, and ensured residents continued to receive consistent, high-quality services throughout the transition. 

We’re absolutely thrilled with the performance gains. To cut new claim times to 17.5 days and clear over half of our backlog in six months is phenomenal. The system is not just fit-for-purpose, it’s helping us deliver better, faster services.

-Belinda Green, Assistant Director of Revenues and Benefits. 

The councils which are best placed to navigate this shift aren’t the ones with the most money. They’re the ones with systems that can flex, scale, and consolidate without ripping everything out and starting again.  

MRI’s work with UK authorities highlights that, with the right vendor, futureproofing doesn’t need to be theoretical. It can be implemented, tested, and improved upon today. 

Next steps for councils facing change

For local government leaders staring down the next phase of reorganisation, here’s the key list of questions you’ll need to ask: 

• Do you have a partner who can rapidly scale your systems from district to unitary with a proven track record. Are vetting processes in place with regards to references and capability? 

• Can staff access the data they need from one place? 

• Are frontline services protected from downtime, duplication, or confusion? 

• Do your platforms help you meet ESG, compliance, and financial reporting needs? 

• Are you speaking to other local authorities who have undergone a similar project? 

Better technology isn’t a distant finish line, but rather the foundation of change. Selecting the right technology partner is a strategic decision, not just a technical one. Councils today face well-documented delays and challenges in system migrations, particularly where there is a lack of experience or capacity to deliver at scale. Decision-makers must prioritise proven track records and demonstrable outcomes. Any errors in implementation or data migration can directly affect delivery of citizen services, collection rates, drain staff morale, and result in avoidable budget overruns. Thoughtful, evidence-based procurement not only safeguards performance but also lays the foundation for long-term service resilience. 

How MRI Software is enabling connected local government

Many councils are already addressing those questions with MRI Software’s secure, connected platforms. Its cloud architecture spans revenues & benefits, education, social housing, facilities management, footfall monitoring, energy management, asset & fund modelling and lease accounting, giving authorities a single, ISO 27001-certified environment for today’s workloads and tomorrow’s AI-driven services.  

For councils ready to turn vision into delivery, MRI’s solutions are available now. We’re here to help you meet your immediate operational needs while leaving headroom for the next chapter of local government innovation.