Local Authorities and Smart Cities

Local authorities should work closely with the technology industry to make the process of building smart cities seamless.

10:07 04 October 2018

The UK government has been very aggressive in building smart cities across the country. Millions of pounds have already been awarded to a number of local authorities for the development of smart initiatives and integration of emerging technologies designed to help local councils improve their services, cut their operating costs, and elevate the standard of living of their residents.

 

However, many councils are being left behind because of lack of funding. Matthew Evans, associate director at techUK told Computerworld UK, says that cash-strapped councils can turn to the technology industry so they can keep up.

 

"I think, when you look at the UK's smart cities market, we've got a lot of companies that are having success abroad in solutions and delivering change but we're not seeing the vibrancy of market that we might expect in the UK itself and there's obviously a reason for that – local authorities are under a real tight financial spending envelope,"

 

One way to bridge the gap is ensure that local authorities have a clear understanding of the potential existing solutions on the market that could make the development of smart cities smoother.

 

An example is Manchester’s CityVerve Project, which demonstrates how Internet of Things (IoT) can be used to provide better services. It covers smart lighting, talkative bus stops, bike sharing and more innovative elements that focus on transportation, healthcare and civic participation.