Three Welsh councils are joining a new laboratory intended to help local authorities design and share digital tools, starting with common problems such as how residents contact their council and access services.
The launch of Cadwyn Lab was announced on 12 November, with Powys County Council, Vale of Glamorgan Council and Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council as its initial participants. It is hosted by the Welsh Local Government Association (WLGA) and funded by councils, the association and the Welsh Government.
The aim is to develop solutions that can be reused by more than one authority rather than having each council address the same problem separately. The first phase will bring council services together with technology professionals to test ideas and measure their effects before the model is expanded.
The launch is the start of that work, not an announcement that new services have already been rolled out across Wales. The announcement does not give a total funding figure, a timetable for wider adoption or an estimate of savings.
Starting with shared problems
The initial focus includes the ways people get in touch with councils and use their services. Possible areas of work include tools for managing enquiries, sending information and giving residents updates. Similar functions could be useful to other public services, although no specific completed product was identified in the launch announcement.
The three councils will provide different settings in which to understand what services have in common and where local circumstances differ. The intention is to develop reusable components and common standards, with secure connections to existing council systems, rather than require authorities to replace all of their technology.
That distinction matters because sharing a piece of software does not necessarily mean running an identical service in every area. Councils would still need to adapt tools to their own systems and needs. The lab’s model also envisages local service teams retaining responsibility while a shared team helps with research, design, building and testing.
The partners say accessibility, bilingual provision, security and responsible use of data will be considered throughout development. Work with the people who use services is part of the proposed approach, as is checking whether a change makes a measurable difference. Measures could include residents’ experience, service quality, staff time or cost.
AI and skills
Cadwyn Lab will also explore where artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies might help. AI is not presented as a requirement for every project: a simpler process or clearer information may be a better answer to some service problems.
The distinction is important for public bodies handling people’s information. The use of generative AI in public services raises questions about privacy and copyright, while the quality of its output depends in part on the data used to train it. The launch identifies responsible data use and safeguards as priorities; it does not establish that a particular AI system has been deployed through the lab.
Alongside work on services, the partners want existing council employees to develop skills by working with the lab team. There is also a longer-term ambition to create supported routes into digital careers for young people who may not have followed traditional educational or employment pathways.
The proposed youth programme could involve practical experience in areas such as software development, user experience and product design. One-year placements and support from mentors are among the ambitions described for the future. Those placements would depend on securing suitable partners, funding and support arrangements; they are not being presented as places already available.
Building on existing plans
The lab sits within a wider commitment by the Welsh Government and local government to develop, reuse and scale shared digital solutions. Their renewed strategic partnership agreement, published in September, calls for digital transformation and AI to be pursued in ways that are safe, bilingual, accessible and inclusive.
One of the founding authorities, Powys, approved its own digital strategy for 2026 to 2030 in March. It includes online access, digital skills, data, infrastructure and cyber security among its themes. The new lab is a separate collaboration involving three councils, rather than a replacement for that individual strategy.
Welsh councils face pressure from rising service demand, inflation and workforce challenges. Sharing development may help avoid duplication, but any reduction in costs or improvement in services will depend on what is built, how well it works and whether other authorities can use it. The initial phase is intended to test those questions before the partnership seeks to grow.
