What would it cost ...
for the UK government to commission a local authority managements system that it would release as open source ? An up-front cost that would save billions later on. Call it LAsoft.
I am aware that not all local authorities have the same requirements but the core ones must be similar. It could also influence legislation: ie Parliament not enacting laws until LAsoft was able to support it.
I know that the failed unified NHS system casts a long shadow here, but maybe those mistakes could be learned. Part of it is making local authorities have common working procedures unless there was good reason not to - eg Urban/rural requirements.
A home grown approach would also stop us bleeding money to large overseas corporations and would build expertise in the UK.
Timescale ? 5 - 10 years maybe.