Dorset council: the housing service digital transformation journey

The formation of Dorset Council in April 2019 brought together five former district and borough councils, creating a single unitary authority. For Housing, this meant merging different teams, legacy systems, and varied policy and processes into one cohesive service. The new service needed to establish its identity and operational structures from the ground up. Integrating these different ways of working and ensuring consistency across the new, larger geographical area. 

The service recognised the need for a unified housing allocation policy supported by a modern software system capable of meeting contemporary demands. This task was made more difficult by varying levels of digital confidence and familiarity with modern tools across the newly formed teams.

Before Dorset Council was formed, the housing teams from the three district councils were already working together. They used the same housing system supplier, contract end dates were aligned, and they followed a shared housing allocation policy. Although each council had set up their systems slightly differently to match how they worked.

When Dorset Council officially launched, the housing teams were brought under one management structure. However, they continued using their existing systems and working as they had before. This enabled a smooth transition period and allowed time to deal with the pandemic and plan a procurement process – the supplier contracts were extended for up to two years.

Recognising the need for a flexible system fit for the future, Dorset became the first council to adopt a new, highly flexible housing software solution called Huume for managing their housing register, homelessness applications, and temporary accommodation. The rationale was clear: the system allowed the council's team to configure processes, layouts, fields, and reporting. This avoided reliance on lengthy supplier development cycles and allowed rapid, service led changes, building vital self-sufficiency. This platform provided the base for integrating other digital tools and developing data driven insights.

To implement the system a team was established including project manager, service designer, content designer, digital business partner, legal and procurement, technical expertise and communications.  Data was migrated into the new system using a mix of automation and manual input.

Work took place to map the ‘as is’ and agree the ‘to be’ processes, which are informed significantly by housing legislation and the housing allocation policy which was reviewed at the same time.  The decision was made to adopt the system and adapt ways of working as much as possible.

Alongside this core system procurement, the service adopted a digital first mindset. Web pages and customer letters were reviewed and rewritten using plain English principles for clarity and accessibility. New online services allowed residents to manage applications, upload documents, and bid for properties, promoting self-service. 

The implementation was not an end point, but a catalyst for ongoing development and capability building across the service. The team actively used technology to improve operations and insight. APIs allow data to feed directly into new Power BI performance dashboards. These provide real-time operational views and trend analysis for both the housing register and homelessness services. 

Specific digital solutions were developed to address tricky issues, such as streamlining housing benefit claims for residents to help reduce associated council debt. The innovative 'Wait Time Calculator' was introduced to provide transparency and give applicants greater choice and control. Collaboration platforms became the central hub for internal communication, document sharing, and team collaboration, effectively breaking down previous silos.

This technological foundation supported a culture of continuous improvement. Empowered staff reviewed processes and communications, such as updating letter templates and developing pre application forms to improve efficiency and the customer experience. The service embraced an iterative approach, continuously enhancing digital tools based on user feedback and operational needs.

Developing staff skills and confidence was key. A noticeable cultural shift occurred, moving from initial apprehension to actively embracing new digital tools like Teams, Power BI, and even exploring the potential of AI with tools like Microsoft Copilot. Support networks were established, including Digital Champions within each housing team and participation in a directorate wide Digital Development group. Dedicated Business Partners in the council also provided crucial support. 

The unitary structure created by Local Government Reorganisation was a fundamental enabler for this transformation. It allowed for consistent service delivery and policies across the Dorset Council area, removing artificial legacy boundaries. It facilitated easier collaboration and data sharing between Housing and other council services, notably Adult Social Care (who began using the system for their supported accommodation needs) and Property & Assets, with potential for future integration with Health partners. Access to council wide resources, strategic initiatives, and support structures like programme management provided the necessary environment for change.

The digital transformation journey has delivered significant benefits for Dorset Council, its residents, and its staff. 

Operationally, the service:

• effectively manages the high volume of applications
• streamlined complex processes like housing benefit for temporary accommodation to reduce associated council debt and officer time following up
• improved the turnaround of empty temporary accommodation helping people into properties sooner
• eliminated time consuming manual tasks like paper scanning.

The enhanced use of data has had a strategic impact. Real time dashboards provide detailed operational insight, allowing managers to prioritise resources and react quickly. Crucially, robust homelessness, housing register and temporary accommodation data became the bedrock for strategic decision making. It supported the analysis of unmet housing need and informed evidence-based recommendations to drive the supply of affordable housing across Dorset. Data sharing with Adult Social Care and insights from health data enable more joined up service planning.

Residents benefit from clear consistent digital access and communication and the ability to bid across the whole Dorset Council area.

Staff report increased digital confidence, feel empowered by the ability to configure systems themselves, and benefit from improved internal communication and collaboration tools. Becoming a unitary council facilitated service integration (for example, Housing and Adults sharing systems and data) and enabled the scale required for sophisticated, data-driven strategic planning that was previously unattainable.

Dorset Council Housing's experience offers valuable lessons for other councils:

• Invest in Configurable Technology: Choosing modern, flexible platforms empowers internal teams, fosters self-sufficiency, and enables rapid, service-led continuous improvement.
• Data is Strategic: Moving beyond operational reporting to integrated data analysis (enabled by modern tech and access to great skills sets) is key to informing strategic decisions and demonstrating impact.
• Build Digital Capability: Success depends on investing in staff skills, confidence, and providing robust support structures.
• Leadership and Collaboration are Vital: Sustained momentum requires clear leadership vision and fostering a collaborative culture both internally and with external partners. 

Dorset Council's Housing service demonstrates how digital transformation can lead to more efficient operations, better outcomes for residents, and a more empowered workforce.