GDS Local Launch

GDS Local brings the expertise and standards that have transformed central government digital services to local authorities. The initiative provides councils with frameworks, guidance, and support to help them design and deliver digital services that meet the needs of residents. It builds on the success of the Service Standard and design principles that have made government online services more accessible and user-friendly.

For councils facing increasing demand and budget pressures, GDS Local offers a practical pathway to improve service delivery while reducing costs. The framework helps local authorities move away from siloed systems and fragmented digital experiences toward joined-up services that work for residents.

Local authorities are under immense pressure to do more with less. The scale of the challenge is sobering: children's social care referrals have increased by over 10% in recent years, while SEND demand continues to outstrip both funding and capacity. Adult social care services face a demographic time bomb, with the over-85 population projected to double by 2040, bringing increasingly complex care needs that require coordinated support across health and social care boundaries.

Meanwhile, the workforce crisis deepens. Social worker vacancy rates in some authorities exceed 20%, with experienced practitioners leaving faster than they can be replaced. The administrative burden of outdated systems means frontline staff spend more time on data entry than direct work with families. Budget pressures compound every challenge - real-terms funding cuts since 2010 have left many councils managing demand that has grown exponentially while their resources have shrunk.

Against this backdrop, residents expect the same quality of digital experience from their council as they receive from their banking apps or online retailers. But councils aren't just service providers - they're statutory bodies managing some of society's most vulnerable people, bound by complex regulatory frameworks, safeguarding duties, and accountability requirements that private sector organisations simply don't face. The technology they need must deliver consumer-grade usability while meeting the rigorous compliance, security, and integration demands of public sector service delivery.

The initiative addresses common barriers councils face when attempting digital transformation, including limited resources, technical debt from legacy systems, and the need to maintain multiple services across different departments. By sharing knowledge, reusable components, and proven approaches, GDS Local helps councils avoid duplicating effort and learn from each other's successes.

At its core, GDS Local focuses on improving outcomes for the people who use council services. This means designing services around user needs rather than organisational structures, making information easier to find, and creating seamless experiences across different touchpoints.

The framework encourages councils to adopt user-centred design practices, conduct regular user research, and iterate services based on feedback. These approaches have consistently delivered better results in central government, and GDS Local makes them accessible to councils of all sizes.

The Access Group's technology solutions align closely with the principles behind GDS Local. Our platforms for children's services, education, and social care are built with user needs at the centre, helping councils deliver more efficient and effective services to their communities.

Solutions like Mosaic, Synergy, and Core+ provide the integrated digital infrastructure councils need to meet rising expectations while managing resources effectively. By connecting data across services and automating routine processes, our technology frees up professionals to focus on the work that matters most – supporting vulnerable children, young people, and families.

The launch of GDS Local underscores the importance of modern, well-designed digital services in local government. As councils navigate this transformation journey, having the right technology partner becomes essential to achieving better outcomes for residents while building more sustainable service models for the future.