Celebrating Derby City Council’s Success at the LGC Awards

Last week, we were proud to stand alongside Derby City Council at the LGC Awards, where the council was recognised as a finalist in both the Innovation and Digital Impact categories, securing Bronze in Digital Impact.

With more than 1,000 entries submitted from councils and public sector organisations across the UK, reaching the finalist stage is a significant achievement. It reflects not only the scale of Derby’s AI transformation programme, but also the way the council has approached innovation: with residents, colleagues and communities at the centre.

Much has been written about the headline outcomes. Derby’s AI transformation has identified £12.25 million in savings, improved access to services, reduced waiting times and created one of the most ambitious AI programmes in UK local government. But what makes Derby’s story particularly compelling are the people behind the numbers.

From the outset, Derby recognised that successful transformation would depend on bringing colleagues on the journey. More than 100 staff participated in workshops and co-design activities, helping identify hundreds of opportunities where AI could reduce administrative burden and improve services. Rather than viewing AI as a technology project, Derby focused on building confidence, creating champions across the organisation and ensuring staff felt empowered rather than replaced.

That culture change continues today through Perrie, Derby’s staff AI assistant. Across services, colleagues are using AI to summarise information, draft documents, analyse data and reduce time spent on routine administration, allowing more time to focus on residents and complex casework. The programme has been particularly impactful for colleagues with different accessibility and learning needs, helping create a more inclusive workplace.

Equally important has been Derby’s commitment to ensuring innovation benefits everyone. Darcie, the council’s AI-powered digital helper, supports multiple community languages and has been developed alongside residents, community groups and people with lived experience to ensure services remain accessible and inclusive.

Perhaps most impressive is Derby’s willingness to share what it has learned. Rather than keeping its approach behind closed doors, the council has openly shared its target operating model, lessons learned and practical experiences with hundreds of other local authorities through conferences, webinars, demonstrations and workshops. More than 349 councils have engaged with Derby’s model through our educational webinars, helping build a wider community of practice around responsible AI adoption in local government.

The LGC Awards celebrate the very best of local government, and Derby’s recognition is well deserved. Their success demonstrates that innovation is not simply about deploying new technology. It is about protecting services, supporting staff, improving accessibility and creating a blueprint that can help strengthen public services across the UK.

Thank you to everyone at Derby City Council for welcoming us into the celebrations. We are incredibly proud to be part of this journey and look forward to continuing our partnership as the next chapter of Derby’s AI transformation unfolds.

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