From Potholes to Performance

Kris takes us behind the scenes of a bold five-year digital strategy – one that put end users at the heart, broke down silos, and made data work harder across the network. With real-world insights and honest reflections, he shares how digital transformation can create measurable public value – without overwhelming teams.

Topics covered:

• Building a smarter highways network – why Northumberland County Council moved from a restrictive legacy system and what it took to get buy-in.
• Putting people first – how engaging inspectors and frontline teams helped shape a more usable, efficient system.
• Performance without the pressure – how Kris’s team now handles 4x the public reports with no increase in headcount.
• Radical transparency in public services – using data to show the public what’s happening, where, and why.
• Driving decisions with real-time data – from storm response to funding bids, data now underpins it all.
• Scaling success across departments – what’s next for digital highways, from street lighting to waste and beyond.

This episode shows what’s possible when leadership, systems and strategy align. It’s a story of small changes adding up to big impact,  and one that proves digital transformation in local government doesn’t have to be slow or complicated!