Lewisham Council is grappling with significant challenges in its IT infrastructure and data collection capabilities, which have impacted the delivery of its Corporate Strategy and require urgent attention for future planning.
During a review of the 2022-2026 Corporate Strategy by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, councillors and officers highlighted systemic issues with IT systems and data collection. These problems have led to residents having to repeat information across different council interactions, hindering efficient service delivery. The council has experienced technical issues with its IT infrastructure and connectivity, with work ongoing to address these. Inconsistencies in data collection and use have diminished the value of data in driving service delivery.
Naila Alavi, Director of Strategy and Transformation, noted that while the council had made significant achievements, the reliance on IT systems as a key enabler for improvement and transformation work had been a consistent challenge. She added that procurement of large IT applications, particularly in critical areas such as Adult Social Care, Children's Social Care, and Housing, had proven difficult. These are areas where coherent, joined-up systems offer the most potential for improvement and where issues carry the highest level of risk. The procurement of new systems is critical to improved service delivery, but these require specialist support and close cross-service collaboration, making them more complicated and higher risk.
Alex Glanz, Head of Policy Strategy, echoed these concerns, stating that the council's IT infrastructure and connectivity had experienced technical issues. He also pointed out that inconsistencies in data collection and use had diminished the value of data in driving service delivery.
The review also identified that resourcing and capacity pressures, exacerbated by increased service demand and budget reductions, had limited the time available for innovative thinking. A significant increase in resident-submitted enquiries, potentially driven by the rise in public use of AI technology, has added to the pressure on officer time. The substantial number of statutory and non-statutory responsibilities placed on teams and officers has reduced the time available for both service delivery and the innovative thinking required for service transformation.
To address these pressures, the council needs to strengthen its corporate-level prioritisation to align resources with high-impact activities. There is also a need to create opportunities for officers and members to develop more efficient and innovative problem-solving and service delivery methods, rather than always sticking to the status quo.
These challenges have informed lessons learned for the development of the next Corporate Strategy (2026-2030). Recommendations include designing the strategy around clear outcomes and flexible delivery commitments, ensuring meaningful engagement with residents and partners, and treating systems, data quality, resourcing, and partnerships as core enabling conditions for strategy delivery. The development process for the new strategy will include early and substantial engagement with residents, partners, and the voluntary, community, and faith (VCF) sector. Officers have been instructed to carry out evidence gathering and consultation to inform the document, ensuring a data-led approach that considers both residents' lived experiences and the council's data holdings.
Councillor Mark Jackson, Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, acknowledged the significant achievements made by the council despite facing considerable external headwinds. These challenges included the ongoing recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, a severe cost-of-living crisis, sustained financial pressures on local government, unbelievable inflation impacting service delivery costs, and 14 years of austerity measures that have deeply affected the local authority's structural funding. Councillor Walsh also referenced the global geopolitical situation, noting its impact on oil prices.
However, he stressed the need for a more agile and flexible strategy that empowers innovation, resilience, and adaptation. The full details of the review and recommendations can be found in the Public reports pack for the Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting on 19th March 2026.
