Sam Mowbray, Chief Executive at Swindon Borough Council, recently joined us at ‘Transforming Swindon: A look back, and forward, at digital innovation’, our event that shone a light on the work Swindon Borough Council has been doing over the past 8 years of working with Jadu.
Reflecting on her ten years at Swindon, Sam delivered an inspiring session on the council’s digital transformation journey, sharing insights from the council’s journey to modernise its services. She proved that digital transformation is about people, culture, and leadership, not just technology.
A town of reinvention
Although not a native of Swindon, Sam has made the town her home and takes pride in its history. From its early days as a railway hub engineered by Isambard Kingdom Brunel to its evolution into a centre for the motor industry, Swindon has continually reinvented itself. Even after the closure of a large car manufacturer before the COVID pandemic, the town has emerged as a growing centre for drone technology and climate tech innovation. Sam’s passion for the town was evident, highlighting not just its achievements but its unique character.
Identifying the challenges
When Sam joined the council in 2015, the organisation faced significant internal challenges. Paper-based processes were widespread, with 15 million sheets printed annually, while only 8.5% of interactions with residents occurred online. Although public-facing services faced pressure, internal inefficiencies hindered staff productivity and morale.
Recognising these challenges, Sam launched an organisational excellence initiative in 2017, partnering with Jadu to modernise digital services for both staff and residents. Rather than solely focusing on technology, Sam prioritised people, culture and process improvement.
“Do not lead with the technology. People care about changing the lives of residents.” - Sam Mowbray, CEO, Swindon Borough Council
Foundations for transformation
Sam focused on the key factors that drove meaningful change:
- Start small: Share quick wins consistently to showcase the value of digital transformation and create cross-team buy-in
- Culture-first: A dedicated digital hub was created, embedding digital skills within every area of the council, which reduced reliance on external expertise
- Empower early adopters: Identifying and supporting those engaging early on helped amplify success
- Simplify goals: The initiative's mantra was “£30 million in 30 months”, and was easily communicated, straightforward and measurable for teams
Partnership and people
A milestone in the Swindon transformation project was collaborating with Jadu. During the session, Sam emphasised the importance of shared values and culture when choosing technology partners. Jadu Connect became a platform for repeatable service patterns, which supported the council’s goal of increasing digital adoption.
Results and lessons learned
Today, Swindon Borough Council has seen dramatic improvements:
- 74% of resident interactions occur online (up from 8.5%)
- 14 million fewer pages printed annually
- £2 million processed online via Jadu Connect annually
Yet, Sam is clear: success is about leadership, not just digital systems. Transparency, agility, and a focus on people and culture are what made the transformation sustainable.
A call to action for digital leaders
Sam’s key message to digital professionals resonates across the public sector: trust your teams, empower your people, and embrace experimentation. As Sam concluded, “COVID showed us that we could trust people to take on new challenges and learn on the job. We just need to be brave and take some of the brakes off.”
Swindon’s journey demonstrates that digital transformation is not just about software - it’s about vision, culture, and the courage to enable people to thrive.
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