The UK local government authorities are under pressure to deliver essential services.  The economic climate, the ongoing post-pandemic recovery, and changes in leadership, are just some of the factors that can cause service disruptions which leads to public frustration.  

To tackle these issues, the UK government has identified automation and data analytics as key strategies. Automation streamlines processes and reduces resource strain, while data analytics supports informed decision-making and quicker processes, resulting in happier customers.

Strategic Solutions: Automation and Data Analytics

In response to these challenges, Microsoft Power Platform offers a cost-effective solution for local councils:

• Power Automate: Automates repetitive tasks such as invoicing and responding to enquiries.
• Power BI: Consolidates data into a centralised, self-service reporting system.

These solutions provide several advantages:

• Faster, more efficient use of resources.
• Development by employees without extensive software skills.
• Enhanced efficiency and optimised service delivery.

Empowerment: Simple Build, Massive Impact 

The Power Platform provides a variety of user-friendly, drag-and-drop features. These features can easily empower local government employees and other citizen developers, to develop solutions with significant impact. This includes: 

1. Automated Cloud Flows 

Power Automate Cloud Flow can handle manual tasks like data extraction, email responses, and document verification. Automating these tasks enhances efficiency, reduces errors, and strengthens data security. This allows local authorities to reallocate resources more effectively and improve service value, boosting public confidence.

2. Business Process Flows  

 Business Process Flows simplify complex operations such as tracking deliveries, managing applications, and scheduling jobs. This boosts productivity, reduces costs, and ensures consistency and accuracy. The user-friendly drag-and-drop interface makes it easy to optimise processes. For example, BCP Council has invested in Power Platform and has enabled them to automate and set up new processes with ease, bypassing the inflated costs and extensive resources that would have been otherwise necessary.  

3. ETL Processes, BI Report and Dashboard 

Local authorities often struggle with data in disparate sources, leading to inefficiencies. Power BI’s ETL solution consolidates data into a single source, reducing query time and improving decision-making. Most Power BI features are easily configurable without advanced analytics skills, enabling quick creation of reports and dashboards.

Driving Digital Transformation

The adoption of Microsoft Power Platform presents an opportunity for UK local government authorities to overcome challenges in service delivery, resource optimisation, and operational efficiency. As the government emphasises the pivotal role of automation and data analytics, Power Platform stands out as a cost-effective and accessible solution. By using Power Automate for streamlined processes and Power BI for comprehensive reporting, local councils can achieve more with fewer resources and empower employees to contribute to innovative solutions.

At Marra, we offer guidance to local authorities to help them get the most out of their Microsoft investment. Read about how we have helped Northumberland County Council here or book a meeting with one of our team here. 

Written by Marra tech team