LGPN South Shows Once Clear Message: Local Government is Ready for AI Transformation
- ICS AI
- 4 days ago
- 3 min read
We were proud to attend and sponsor the Local Government Partnership Network (LGPN) South this week – the energy throughout the event was nothing short of exceptional. From packed rooms to non-stop conversations, the appetite for real, practical AI transformation across local government has never been stronger.
Across two days, the venue was absolutely buzzing with councils looking for bold ideas, proven examples, and trusted partners to help them move beyond AI curiosity and into AI transformation.
A Strong First Day: Energy, Engagement, and Real Momentum
Day one set the tone immediately. A huge shoutout to Aneeq Star, who delivered a flawless 60-second pitch in the Dragon’s Den session – a crowd favourite and a great showcase of what bold, concise storytelling looks like in action.
We were also pleased to be joined on stage by Andy Brammall from Derby City Council, who along with ICS.AI CEO Martin Neale delivered a session on Derby’s AI transformation journey. Andy’s passion for the work they’re doing is always inspiring, and their AI Digital Helper, Darcie, delivered a live demo that turned heads (and got some laughs) – proving exactly how AI can operate as a powerful, reliable digital front door for customer services.
The Conversations: Honest, Insightful, and Ready for Change
Throughout the event, our team had meaningful conversations with dozens of councils. The quality of these discussions – and the maturity of thinking – truly stood out.
As Dwayne Johnson, our Chief Local Government Officer, put it:
“One thing I’ve noticed is that more councils are now deploying AI. That’s a big change from 12 months ago. I’ve been to some excellent events across the UK this year, but this LGPN event has to go down as one of the best. The panel members were provocative, honest and insightful, and the networking has been of real benefit.”
That shift – from early exploration to real deployment – was clear across the room.
Key Themes That Emerged Across the Event
Across sessions, panels, and workshops, several themes dominated the conversation:
Collaboration is essential – not just geographically, but across demography, service pressures, and shared challenge.
Councils want real examples of success – and are increasingly looking to learn from proven AI implementations rather than reinventing the wheel.
Internal AI deployment is complex – requiring skills, capability, and partners who can evolve the technology as needs change.
Culture change matters – and success depends on strong support from Chief Executives, senior leadership, and elected members.
Accountability in decision making is critical – staff need structured support, not to be left alone to “figure it out."
Legacy systems still shape the journey – interoperability and system understanding remain foundational.
Ethics and governance must start on day one – as part of a trusted and transparent framework.
And one unexpected – but important – takeaway: Be mindful of how you interact with AI tools. Over-politeness (“please” and “thank you”) adds unnecessary compute usage, contributing to environmental impact. A small but powerful reminder of the wider cost behind every interaction
Our Reflection: A Sector Moving From AI-Curious to AI-Transforming
If there was one overarching message from LGPN, it was this: Councils are ready to take the next step. Not just exploring the possibilities of AI – but actively embedding it into services, operations, and future strategy.
The conversations, the case studies, the energy, and the willingness to embrace change all point in the same direction. Local government is ready to move from AI-curious to AI-transforming – and we’re excited to continue supporting that journey through our SMART: AI Transformation Programme and SMART: Unified AI for ALL Platform.
A Final Thank You
A huge thank you to all the delegates, speakers, partners, and the LGPN team for organising an outstanding event. We’re already looking forward to the next one.
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