Is Loci a signposting layer or a data-holding platform?
Loci is mainly a signposting and engagement layer, not a replacement for council systems of record. Its role is to help residents find the right local information, services and updates more easily, in the right local context.
That said, Loci does hold some data where needed to operate the platform, including user account data and platform content. So it is not only a signposting layer. The distinction is that Loci is not intended to be the primary system for statutory transactions, service management or official council records. Those remain with the council’s own systems.
What systems does Loci integrate with (or not integrate with)?
Today, Loci does not aim to replace council systems or act as a new system of record. Our role is to provide a more user-friendly, accessible front end that helps residents find information, understand what applies to them locally and get to the right service more easily.
Our longer-term approach is to support APIs and integrations with council systems where that adds value. The aim is not to duplicate what councils already have, but to improve the resident experience around it. In conversations with councils, this has come up most often around better service updates, such as bin collection schedules and service disruptions, which Loci can already support today, as well as service requests such as reporting potholes or other local issues. In those cases, the intention would be to connect into existing council CMS, CRM or service management tools, so the resident experience is simpler while the underlying service continues to be managed through the council’s own systems.
So the positioning is clear, Loci complements council infrastructure rather than competing with it, with integration offering a way to make existing services feel more joined up and easier for residents to use.
How does it interact with:
Council websites (.gov.uk)
Loci works alongside council websites, not in place of them. Council websites remain the official home for services, transactions and formal information. Loci helps residents get to the right part of that journey more easily by surfacing relevant local information, updates and signposting based on where they live.
In practice, that means Loci can direct residents through to the relevant pages on the council’s .gov.uk website when they need to complete a formal action, such as applying, reporting or paying. The aim is to make the front end feel simpler and more accessible, while the council website remains the official destination for the service itself. Over time, where councils want it, this can also be supported through tighter integrations and APIs so the experience feels more joined up without replacing the council’s existing web infrastructure.
Mapping or address data
Loci uses geographic and postcode-based data to make sure people see information that is relevant to where they live. That means the platform can surface the right local environment, services and updates based on location, rather than expecting residents to work out boundaries or service ownership for themselves.
Where councils use ONS data, Loci can work with that kind of geographic structure to help define local areas and shape what residents see. More broadly, the platform is designed to support boundary mapping and localisation at different levels, whether that is ward, district, unitary, county or a custom geographic dataset provided by the council. The aim is to use location data to improve relevance and clarity, not to replace the council’s underlying address or mapping systems.
Is there an API strategy?
Our long-term approach is to offer APIs and integrations that connect Loci to existing council systems where that improves the resident experience. The aim is not to replace council websites, CRM platforms or service management tools, but to provide a more user-friendly and accessible front end around them.
In practice, that could include things like bin schedules, service disruptions, local service updates, or reporting issues such as potholes, with the request then flowing into the council’s existing systems. We see APIs as a way to make council services feel more joined up and localised for residents, while keeping ownership, records and service delivery with the council.
How much branding and configuration control can a council have?
In the council services section, the council would have full branding and configuration control. That means the look, structure and information shown in that space can be set up to reflect a councilclearly and consistently for residents.
More broadly, Loci can also configure the local environment shown to residents based on geography, including branding, links and tiles at ward, district, unitary, county or custom area level. So a council can shape both the council-specific experience and the wider local setup in a way that fits how it wants information and services to appear.
Can different town councils have distinct identities within the same platform?
Yes. Different town councils can have distinct identities within the same platform.
Loci separates content by both organisation and geography, so each Town Council can have its own clearly defined presence, branding and locally relevant information, while still sitting within the wider council and community context. That means residents can see who is speaking, which area the information applies to and how it fits within the broader local picture, without everything being blended together.