Friday 20 February
Why generative and agentic AI could remove friction as a policy lever across local government, starting with rising FOI volume and complexity.
Working in the open
Welcome to my digital garden — a working notebook of essays, rough notes, reviews, and weekly reflections on leading digital, service design, and technology in local government. Ideas here grow over time rather than sitting in a strictly chronological feed.
Stage key:
Rough
Early thinking & scratchpad notes
In progress
Actively being shaped & tested
Settled
Well-formed reflection
Notes, Essays & Reviews
Showing 11 of 11 entriesFriday 6 February
Notes on the AI Skills Hub launch, the UK's digital government track record, refusing dead corporate language, and avoiding LLM mode collapse.
Weeknote first half of January
Starting 2026 with a new AWS app streaming deployment, moving the housing system out of hypercare, and adapting operating models for AI.
Weeknote 19th December
Going live with a new housing management system before Christmas, virtual desktop migration, and reading Karen Hao's Empire of AI.
Weeknote 12th December
Speaking about resident expectations at the Sutton Staff Conference, predicting more radical service design at techUK, and navigating open document standards.
Remembering Casserole
Looking back at FutureGov's Casserole meal-sharing project and why local government still needs radical, technology-enabled operating models.
Weeknotes 2nd to 7th November
Applying Jevons' paradox and Baumol's cost disease to local government digital demand, alongside Gold and Silver emergency command training.
Halloweeknote
Early reflections on starting at Kingston and Sutton, scaling digital infrastructure with GOV.UK Notify, messy data in an agentic AI era, and Model Context Protocol.
Weeknotes 28th July to 3rd August
Final handovers at TPXimpact, reflections on rapid prototype-to-beta delivery with the Ministry of Justice, and preparing for a summer break.
LGR and getting the new council website right
Lessons from uniting five councils into one in Buckinghamshire: using a new council website as a Trojan horse for user-centred design, open standards, and agile delivery.
Weeknotes 21st to 27th July
Restarting a regular blogging habit, wrapping up and handing over at TPXimpact, and reflecting on the power of working in the open.
No garden entries match the selected stream, stage, and media filters.
Recent Weeknotes
Regular weekly reflections on work in progress (“the flow”).
- Weeknote first half of January
- Weeknote 19th December
- Weeknote 12th December
- Weeknotes 28th July to 3rd August
- Weeknotes 21st to 27th July