Rob Miller

Abstract illustration of interconnected, colourful circles on a light blue background,

UK local government is at a pivotal moment.

As PD Director Gavin Beckett writes, it’s time to start building dynamic service organisations to respond to the challenges of today.

Our event on 27 November will explore how we can build a movement across the sector.

public.digital/pd-insights/...

At @publicdigital.bsky.social my colleague @robmiller31.bsky.social has a saying: “you can’t be safe, only safer”

Being safer, and more resilient, means changing how leadership approaches technology delivery. Whether that’s for cyber security. Or tech failure.

More here: public.digital/cyber

Excellent #pddatabites this evening. Loved the breadth of the AI focus - application at scale, ethics & people, rapid prototyping and amplifying auditors.

Definitely recommend if you're into lively and varied chats from smart people doing interesting things with data. public.digital/data-bites-s...

Join us for our next PD Sessions event on Find Opportunities for Radical Transformation in Local Public Services - taking place in person or online on 27 November.

public.digital/events/pd-se...

Glad to hear that! 🙌

This is a profoundly useful resource, and almost all of it's applicable to *any* org, not just councils

Assume your cyber controls *won't* work, and make sure to check this out so you can be confident that you'll know what to do

(And bravo to the LGA for making this open - it makes things better)

Wait until you're 51... I lifted a plant pot two weekends ago, and I could hardly move my right knee for the next two days! Ageing isn't what it used to be...

(Hope all else is well though!)

This is very good stuff, bravo @janethughes.bsky.social 👏

😱

Tech Principal Consultant - Public Digital Salary: £85,000 - £105,000 (depending on experience)Location: United Kingdom (Hybrid – with regular in-person client meetings. Some travel, including international travel, may be required depending on...

Come join my team @publicdigital.bsky.social!

We’re looking for technologists from all kinds of backgrounds to join us and use your hands-on experience to help leading institutions around the world adapt for the digital age.

apply.workable.com/public-digit...

A very unexpected, but joyous conversation!

We went to UKGovCamp 2025 and have a lot to share 🏢

News: A new centre of digital government for the UKpublic digitalpublic digital Public Digital CEO Ben Terrett responds to the Government's new plan to harness technology and AI

The UK Government has launched a new centre to drive digital transformation in public services. As our CEO @benterrett.bsky.social explains, this initiative reflects a commitment from the top levels of government to harness technology for improving lives across the country.

Gov.uk: Are we ready for an AI Revolutionpublic digitalpublic digital Dai Vaughn blogs in response to Kier Starmer's announcement on investment in AI

"New tech + old state = same disappointment" > totally this - great post from @daivaughan.uk with lots of sensible and pragmatic advice on getting the most from AI (and any technology tbh).
public.digital/pd-insights/...

Oh no! Such a shame - thank you for years of genuinely useful transport mapping. 😢

(And very much love the reference to Hackney's Here to Help work as an example of what can be achieved)

The quiet radicalism of 'test and learn' sounds a lot less exciting than Big Projects Doing Massive Things With Mega Budgets. But if you want to make a real and enduring impact it has a lot going for it.

A great explainer here from @daverog.bsky.social:

public.digital/pd-insights/....

My colleague @robmiller31.bsky.social has written this blog post about how organisations should be thinking about cyber security. There's no such thing as 'safe', only 'safer'.

public.digital/pd-insights/...

I spotted your visiting card at the Courtauld at the weekend.

🚲 One of my fave city innovations I must ramp is how Transport for London & GoogleMaps are working together to make #cycling safer. Because of this, today you can choose a safer, low-traffic route across the city. Here's how this amazing #collaboration happened... 🧵 1/6 tfl.gov.uk/info-for/med...

The human stories from @auschwitzmemorial.bsky.social are a stark reminder of why we must never forget. But the banal bureaucracy of this horror is chilling. 'Just another form to sign off', but what it actually meant was 394 lives...

Profoundly uncomfortable reading & profoundly necessary reading.

Thames Water’s IT ‘falling apart’ and is hit by cyber-attacks, sources claim Exclusive: Company relies on obsolete tech and there are troubling security gaps, Guardian investigation suggests

This article about Thames Water’s IT is obviously worrying and a disaster waiting to happen.

But it’s also not surprising - so many of our public services are drowning in toxic legacy technology.

www.theguardian.com/business/202...

Totally this. And also true of other areas of the public sector (local gov being a case in point). Far too much dependency and supplier capture to be healthy and green shoots remain sadly scarce.

Bless.

Totally agree - permacrisis has led to too many orgs trying to grab simple ‘solutions’ to complex problems.

Really looking forward to working together and helping orgs do the hard work to make things simple @gavinbeckett.bsky.social! 😊

A timely reminder that no amount of technology magic is going to be a miracle anything. And getting overexcited about the latest thing is very likely to compound problems, not avoid the hard graft that's actually needed to deliver better services.

Am proud that despite my total (and predictable) failure to resolve J's networking conundrum this afternoon, I have not yet resorted to swearing.

Ooh, just got home to find this on the doormat. Earlier than I'd expected! Looking forward to diving in @richardpope.org. 😊

I think we paved the way... I've not deleted the app, so I'm able to benefit from its powerful new AI.

Very much agree - good to see a local authority leader highlighting the need to stop accepting the status quo. And so spot on re: the risks that are ignored if don't try to shift the dial. Bravo! 👏