Local Impact Hack Programme

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Programme Overview

The Local Impact Hack Programme is a 10-week innovation sprint designed to help public sector organisations unlock the power of AI to solve real-world challenges. Delivered by Telefónica Tech in partnership with Microsoft, this initiative brings together public sector teams to co-create impactful, scalable solutions.

 

This isn’t just a hackathon it’s a structured journey from problem to prototype. Councils work in cross-functional teams, supported by AI experts, to identify key service challenges and build working solutions that deliver measurable impact.

 

Over the course of the programme, participants:

  • Define and validate a real-world AI use case
  • Build a working prototype during a 2-day in-person hackathon
  • Develop a roadmap for scaling and securing stakeholder buy-in

Local Impact Hack Programme

Programme Roles

Each participating council brings together a dedicated team of professionals who play distinct but complementary roles throughout the innovation journey. This cross-functional approach ensures that every solution is grounded in real-world needs, technically robust, and strategically aligned.

Employees
Business User

Service experts who shape the use case and ensure real-world relevance

Employees
Technical User

Developers and engineers who build the solution

Employees
Decision Maker

Strategic leads who define success and drive adoption

Accelerating Local Government Innovation: Telefónica Tech Hosts AI Hackathon for Five South East Councils

Read the article

Meet the Experts Behind the Programme

To help spark ideas and show what’s possible, here are some of the standout AI use cases developed by our local government Hackathon

Use Case Inspiration: What Councils Built Last Year

Council Tax Arrears Support
Challenge: Identifying residents at risk of falling behind on payments.
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How the challenge can be solved
Solution: Predictive models to forecast arrears and proactively alert civil servants.
Impact:
- Increased collection rates
- Reduced financial strain on residents
- Improved community wellbeing
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Contact Centre Automation
Challenge: High volume of repetitive resident queries.
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How the challenge can be solved
Solution: AI-powered virtual agents to handle common enquiries and provide multilingual support.
Impact:
- Faster response times
- Lower operational costs
- Improved resident satisfaction
Supporting Families Funding
Challenge: Identifying families eligible for government support.
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How the challenge can be solved
Solution: Machine learning models using multi-agency data to flag families in need.
Impact:
- Millions in additional funding
- More targeted and effective support
- Enhanced outcomes for vulnerable families
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Social Care Interaction Transcription
Challenge: Manual transcription of social care interactions.
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How the challenge can be solved
Solution: AI-driven transcription and summarisation of conversations in real time.
Impact:
- Reduced admin burden
- Improved compliance and accuracy
- More time for direct care
Learn more

The Next Local Impact Hack Is Underway

Let us know you’re interested in a future cohort

Our latest Local Impact Hack Programme has kicked off, with our in-person event taking place in September, bringing together councils from across the UK to co-create AI solutions that tackle real-world service challenges. While this cohort is already confirmed, we’re always looking ahead. If your council is interested in taking part in a future programme, we’d love to hear from you.

 

Let us know you’re interested in a future cohort by filling out the form.