As ever, the public sector faces many challenges: tightening budgets, rapidly changing technologies, growing public expectations, and the urgent need to deliver services faster and more efficiently. Balancing these demands often leads to projects being blocked either by “decision paralysis”, often due to insufficient information — or, conversely, failing miserably due to rushed, uninformed decisions.
A recurring tension is the contradictory criticism faced by public services: on one hand, being accused of being slow, bureaucratic, and bloated, while on the other, suffering from acute staff shortages, underfunding, and resource gaps that make it impossible to meet all responsibilities. These contradictory pressures create a no-win situation for public organisations, where demands grow but capacity continues to shrink — eroding morale, performance, and trust over time.
As early as the 80s, many public sector agencies were forced to restructure to a lean model. Since the 1990s, large-scale outsourcing — particularly in IT and technical services — has been a central feature of public service delivery. Projects such as HMRC’s ASPIRE, NHS National Programme for IT, or the Post Office IT Scandal underscore both the potential and pitfalls of relying on external providers.
The assumption that keeping core teams small and agile, and hiring external specialists for specific projects on a time-limited basis, would be cost-effective in the long run turned out to be overly simplistic and at times downright wrong. Numerous public sector programmes have faltered due to over-reliance on external partners, unclear accountability, or misaligned incentives. Reports from the National Audit Office and Public Accounts Committee have raised concerns about consultancy spend, warning that short-term solutions can lead to long-term capability erosion if public bodies do not retain sufficient internal expertise.
Successful public-private collaboration depends on clear governance, effective knowledge transfer, and a deliberate investment in public sector capability. External consultants should complement, not substitute, institutional memory and domain knowledge. Understanding legacy systems, regulatory frameworks, community needs, and political sensitivities is not something that can be quickly outsourced — it requires embedded, experienced public servants.
When done well, collaboration between public organisations and technology partners can accelerate progress and unlock new capabilities. External support can help public teams stay focused on core service delivery, while drawing in fresh thinking and technical depth where needed. The goal is not replacement, but reinforcement: enabling public services to better serve citizens by combining their contextual understanding with targeted external expertise.
Ultimately, we all share a common goal: creating thriving, sustainable communities where people can live, work, and flourish. By combining the public sector’s deep understanding of community needs with the experience, skills, and strategic insights of technology partners, we can achieve far more together than either could alone. The challenges are real, but so are the opportunities — and collaboration is key to unlocking them.