in association with Asset Management Software at Siemens (formerly Brightly Software)
As councils prepare for further devolution while the government reviews its approach to local government reorganisation, having the right digital foundations in place will be essential. In this article, Chris Thompson, EMEA Head of Government Sales, Asset Management Software at Siemens (formerly Brightly Software), discusses how Confirm can help councils manage uncertainty, maintain service continuity and plan for the future with confidence.
English local government has entered a new period of change and uncertainty.
The government remains committed to moving power out of Westminster and giving local and regional leaders greater influence over the decisions that affect their communities. However, on 7 September 2026 it announced a rapid review of the local government reorganisation programme. Decisions for Essex, Southend-on-Sea and Thurrock; Hampshire, the Isle of Wight, Portsmouth and Southampton; Norfolk; and Suffolk have been withdrawn. Decisions announced in July for other areas, together with the two areas still awaiting decisions, will also be reviewed. The decision already taken in Surrey is not affected.
For councils, the direction of travel remains important, but the route and timetable are now less certain.
Greater local control can help authorities make decisions that better reflect the needs of their communities. Yet councils must now prepare for a range of possible structures and timescales while continuing to deliver essential services, justify investment decisions and demonstrate value for money
Local government reorganisation was designed to replace many two-tier council structures in England with single-tier unitary authorities. The government’s review will now consider whether the programme is legally robust and aligned with its wider ambitions for devolution and local governance. This means that, outside Surrey, previously announced structures and implementation plans should no longer be treated as settled.
For affected councils, the pause does not remove the practical challenge of change. Whether organisations ultimately merge, boundaries alter or responsibilities shift in another way, the systems, processes and datasets that support service delivery will need to be understood and ready to adapt. Asset information spread across departments, legacy systems and spreadsheets must be capable of being consolidated. Highway records, street-lighting inventories, drainage information and wider infrastructure data also need to form a coherent operational picture.
This is why successful devolution and effective local government reform depend not only on governance structures, but also on resilient digital foundations.
Council leaders can only make informed decisions if they have a clear understanding of the assets for which they are responsible. They need visibility of what they own, where it is located, its condition, its maintenance requirements and the investment needed to support long-term service delivery.
Without that visibility, councils risk spending valuable time reconciling information rather than improving outcomes for their communities. During a review or transition, reliable data also allows leaders to test different organisational scenarios and understand the operational consequences of each option.
Digital asset management solutions such as Confirm can help local authorities navigate this period. A single, reliable source of asset information enables councils to bring together data from different departments and geographies, maintain oversight of day-to-day operations and prepare for future consolidation. If structures or responsibilities change, an adaptable platform can support the transfer and alignment of data with minimal disruption.
Several Siemens customers are directly affected by the evolving programme. Surrey is continuing with its agreed reorganisation, while decisions affecting Kent and Lincolnshire are included in the government’s review. We are working in partnership with councils during this period, helping to ensure that Confirm continues to support day-to-day operations and keep essential services running smoothly. It is a challenge we understand well, having supported local authorities through previous organisational transitions.
Digital tools also support better decision-making when policy and organisational arrangements are changing.
As more decisions and responsibilities move closer to local communities, authorities will need evidence to prioritise spending and demonstrate impact. By using asset data effectively, councils can move from reactive maintenance towards a more proactive and strategic approach, identifying risks earlier, modelling future needs and directing resources where they will deliver the greatest benefit.
The political and structural details of devolution will continue to develop. The review may change proposed council structures, implementation dates and transition plans. Funding arrangements and local responsibilities may also evolve. What will not change is the need for accurate, accessible data and effective asset management.
Councils should therefore avoid treating the pause as a reason to stop preparing. Instead, it is an opportunity to strengthen data quality, standardise processes, reduce dependence on disconnected systems and build the flexibility needed for several possible outcomes. Those that invest in strong digital foundations today will be better placed to adapt, make informed decisions and deliver reliable services tomorrow.
Devolution still has the potential to reshape local government for the better, but the next phase will require flexibility as well as ambition. Whatever structures emerge from the review, solutions such as Confirm can help councils prepare for and embrace change. To find out more, visit: https://assetmanagement.siemens.com/products/confirm
