Socitm 2024: The year in review

Governance

In February, Socitm finally achieved charitable status. This has been an ambition for Socitm since inception but proved to be a challenging process. Being a charity opens options to seek new partners and funding to deliver key resources and outcomes for our members and ultimately wider public benefit.

We also continued to invest in developing our institute throughout 2024. This is a strategic initiative to maximise the ways in which we can use our charitable status to enhance our research, learning and development and benchmarking capabilities.

Policy and research

Evidence-based approach

Our policy work in 2024 has been developed closely with our members, the Local CIO Council, and our strategic and international partners. This year, we have created practical, evidence-based blogs based on what works in the following policy areas: 

Driving national policy through strategic partnerships

Our collaborative partnerships have influenced national policy on issues such as digital identity, artificial intelligence (AI), collaborative procurement, cyber resilience, and responsible use of technologies and data, as we worked with organisations including the Local Government Association (LGA), Northern Ireland Local Government Association (NILGA), Society of Local Authority Chief Executives (Solace), The London Office of Technology and Innovation (LOTI), PUBLIC, The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) and Derby University.

Shaping global dialogue

We have contributed to major international events on topics such as digital trends, place-based leadership, cyber security and AI. With our LOLA partner associations and Major Cities of Europe (MCE), we have initiated a project to create an international knowledge and services platform.

Celebrating one year of Socitm’s institute!

The institute celebrated its first year, delivering essential resources in response to the critical issues facing members and the wider sector. It continues to serve as the source of our resources and services, acting as a think tank where ideas are generated and a gateway for our communities to network, share, and collaborate. We currently have resources in progress on data, cyber, procurement and social value workstreams.

AI@Socitm

Our institute launched AI@Socitm in March 2024. This hub helps members gain practical skills and provides plain English resources of how AI can be applied responsibly in public services. We continue to build the hub with regular updates including the latest AI case studies, research, insights and guidance.

Building on the foundation provided by our sample corporate policy for GenAI, we have uploaded 33 AI case studies and counting, created a glossary of terms, published a terms of reference template for an artificial intelligence governance board and signposted to 33 relevant external AI webinars, training and events.

Public sector digital trends

Our popular Public Sector Digital Trends collection offers a detailed review of the technology and data challenges for the public sector in 2024. Reimagining services, IT for public good, AI applications and harnessing data are just some of the key topics!

People make places

Our new People Makes Places prospectus is a comprehensive guide for politicians, chief executives, senior policy advisers and decision-makers. Strategic insights and actionable steps are presented to help leaders harness innovation to improve service delivery and create more effective public policies for their places.

Collaborative research and briefings

• St. George’s House consultation, 18-19 March 2024: Our consultation ‘Towards Connected Places: Insights Into Actions’ explored how place-based leadership and transformation can help navigate challenges such as devolution, climate change and technological shifts. We also examined the role of AI in helping communities to thrive while at the same time guarding against its risks.
• Local Digital Programme evaluation: The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) commissioned an independent evaluation of their Local Digital programme to ensure it is as effective as possible. The evaluation study is being delivered by a consortium of PUBLIC, Daintta and Socitm working closely with Local Digital, between May 2023 and May 2025. So far, the evaluation has gathered insights from a wide spectrum of English councils. This input has been crucial for the evaluation. The insights gathered are already playing a crucial role in shaping the next phase of the Local Digital programme.

Socitm Says podcasts

Our podcasts this year brought together thought leaders and professionals as they shared their perspectives on the importance of social value from the private and public sector. We also presented the different aspects of utilising generative AI, ranging from ethical considerations to the potential benefits and drawbacks. Using social progress index data was our most recent podcast, in which we discussed how councils in England can obtain a simple set of indicators of progress (or lack of it) by using Impera’s Place Insight tool.

Leadership Academy

Our best year to date

In 2024, the Leadership Academy has reached new heights, offering more courses than ever before in response to member feedback and evolving challenges facing the public sector. This expansion reflects our commitment to equipping leaders at all levels with the skills and confidence to take control of their personal and professional development.

Key achievements

• The launch of our Place-Based Leadership programme has already made a tangible impact, empowering leaders to reimagine innovation and technology to improve place based outcomes.
• Bespoke sessions tailored to organisational needs, including the use of Belbin Profiles has helped enhance team dynamics and leadership cohesion.
  Courses designed to address the complexities of managing and motivating remote teams have been well received and always popular.
• In-person events featuring flagship courses such as Top Talent and Empowering Women, fostering confidence and capability among emerging and established leaders.
• Delivered Socitm’s first Empowering Women course for elected members in Northern Ireland.

Collaborative innovation

Our partnership with Microsoft and the co-delivery of the Change Agent course, saw hundreds of public sector staff benefit from a free course which maximised the tools for change in a digital world.

Looking ahead

As we continue to grow, the Leadership Academy remains committed to listening to our members, addressing their evolving needs, and preparing leaders to excel in a rapidly changing landscape. Together, we are building a stronger, more adaptable public sector.

Member engagement

This year, we’ve strengthened our connection with members through an expanded range of engagement channels, including the Member Voice group, increased attendance at regional meetings, and monthly drop-in sessions.

Your feedback has directly shaped the direction of our support, leading to initiatives like incorporating benchmarking into our 2025 packages, expanding Socitm benefits to all staff within member organisations, and updating training courses to address sector challenges.

The use of the website account area has grown significantly, empowering members to manage their membership effectively and demonstrate ROI.

Additionally, our LinkedIn presence has flourished, with a notable increase in followers and boosted engagement through likes, comments, and shares.

Benchmarking

To keep our metrics relevant, we reviewed our entire benchmarking service. This resulted in the addition of three new measures concerning upskilling of staff and employment of apprentices.  

Partnerships

In 2024, we had 52 partners in total for 2024, from all sizes and areas of business. This growth was significantly influenced by a new event in Northern Ireland, where we added 23 partners to our network.

We also introduced private sector organisations to our leadership courses, fostering greater interaction with the public sector. This initiative enabled the private sector to respond more appropriately, adding value where needed.

Expanding regional collaboration

We continued to strengthen collaborations throughout the nations and regions in 2024 by linking with new networks. A highlight saw a strategic partnership with the Northern Ireland Local Government Association (NILGA), onboarding all 11 councils as members. 22 local authorities in Wales also joined as members.

Events

Members have collaborated at our events and webinars to great effect. With a total registration of more than 3,200 attendees, the organisation has successfully brought together professionals from the public sector to share knowledge, best practices, and innovations. Following members’ feedback, 2024 has also seen more joint private and public sector presentations than ever before.

Supporting the regions

Our two national conferences, held in Sheffield and London, provided a platform for discussion and networking among experts, covering topics including digital transformation, IT investment, and whole-system responses to citizen needs. These conferences were driven by our value of fostering collaboration and driving positive change in public services.

Insights, actions and outcomes

With 58 webinars hosted throughout the year, attendees accessed a wealth of information and insights on various topics, including AI, data use, and sustainable and innovative places. These online events allowed professionals to stay up-to-date with the latest trends and developments, even when physical attendance was not possible. In-person meetings have, however, achieved higher attendance figures since Covid – with appetite for this to continue being positive. As Socitm looks to the future, its events and webinars will continue to play a vital role in shaping the public sector’s digital landscape and supporting the growth and development of its members.

*Three webinars still to run at the time of publishing

Website

Transforming digital experiences: Our focus on member journeys

In 2024, our website design and user interface / user experience team has been dedicated to enhancing the digital experience for our users through a series of strategic initiatives and improvements.

Resource enhancements

We began the year by launching a new look for our collection homepage. Our efforts included finalising the “Imagining Connected Places” infographic and launching the AI@Socitm resource hub, which provides a fantastic platform for AI-related resources and knowledge sharing.

As we reflect on our achievements, we are excited about the future and the continued evolution of our digital presence.