Customer story highlights

• First London borough to adopt TechnologyOne Financials
• Time and cost savings through streamlined, automated workflows
• Single source of truth across all financial operations
• Improved decision-making enabled by real-time data and forecasting tools

About Islington Council

Islington Council serves a vibrant, diverse community in central London. With over 240,000 residents and limited geographic space, it is the second most densely populated authority in the UK.

The council delivers a wide range of services including housing, education, social care, and community support, all underpinned by a commitment to creating a fairer, more equal borough.

The borough’s central London location brings both opportunities and complexities, from managing growth and urban infrastructure to protecting green spaces and preserving its unique cultural identity. Islington continues to balance these priorities with a strong emphasis on financial sustainability, efficiency, and innovation.

Islington Council’s website

The challenge: outdated tools and increasing demands

Islington’s legacy financial management system relied heavily on manual data entry and offered limited insight into financial performance. In addition to hampering staff efficiency, this made budget oversight challenging and restricted the council’s ability to anticipate and respond quickly to community needs.

With rising demand for services and ongoing funding pressures, the council required a more integrated and automated system to ensure every pound of public money was managed effectively.

“Partnering with TechnologyOne is a vital step in ensuring that Islington Council has the tools it needs to meet the challenges of the future,” said Cllr Diarmaid Ward, Executive Member for Finance & Performance at Islington Council.

The solution: TechnologyOne Financials via SaaS+

After evaluating potential systems, Islington selected TechnologyOne Financials, delivered through the company’s world-first SaaS+ model. Financials provides a single integrated system that streamlines finance processes, improves efficiency, and empowers better decision-making.

One of the key advantages of the SaaS+ model is that it is delivered for a single annual fee, covering not just the software itself, but also implementation, updates, and support. This removes the need for significant upfront investment and gives the council predictable, manageable costs.

SaaS+ also reduces risk by placing the responsibility for delivery on TechnologyOne rather than the council. This approach ensures the system is implemented smoothly and reliably, allowing council teams to focus on delivering services rather than managing complex IT projects.

Crucially, TechnologyOne’s solutions and products are built to scale and designed specifically for the UK local government sector. Financials provides Islington with a secure, flexible platform capable of evolving alongside the council’s needs, ensuring long-term value and resilience.

“This new system will allow us to operate more efficiently, improve our services, and make sure public funds are spent where they’re needed most - helping us to create a more equal Islington,” Mr Ward said.

The results: real-time data, streamlined processes, and better outcomes

With TechnologyOne Financials, Islington aims to operate from a single source of truth for all financial information. By streamlining processes and introducing automated workflows, the council expects to reduce manual tasks that currently consume valuable staff time, reduce errors, and ensure that transactions are processed more quickly and accurately.

The council will be able to leverage advanced forecasting and reporting tools, providing real-time data to guide decision-making and anticipate future service demand.

Staff across departments will benefit from the advantages of the new system, with streamlined processes designed to improve collaboration and free teams to focus on higher-value activities. Over time, these efficiencies are expected to deliver both immediate savings and long-term operational resilience.

“By investing in modern, innovative technology, we’re securing long-term benefits for our residents and staff alike,” Ward added.

Looking ahead: a future-ready London borough

For Islington Council, adopting TechnologyOne Financials lays the foundation for long-term transformation.

By moving away from outdated, manual systems, the council is now supported by a modern, flexible, and secure platform that evolves with its needs. This shift maximises resources, strengthens financial transparency, and ensures services continue to meet the expectations of one of the UK’s busiest and most diverse communities.

As councils across the UK face increasing financial pressures, Islington is setting a benchmark for how local government can modernise, cut costs, and deliver greater value to residents through strategic investment in digital innovation.