LGD helps councils build better sites at lower cost
After more than two decades in journalism, Alison now collaborates with Annertech's clients to ensure that their content is the best it possibly can be.
We always knew LocalGov Drupal (LGD) saved councils money on their websites. Now we have the numbers to prove it.
The LocalGov Drupal team dug into the real-world costs of implementing and running council websites, and found that LGD reduces the cost of a website rebuild by 30% to 50%.
They analysed:
- 43 Freedom of Information responses from councils that provided costs
- Supplier contract values from Contracts Finder, ModernGov and local transparency registers
- Data from LGD suppliers and participating councils
Built on the enterprise-grade, open-source CMS Drupal, LocalGov Drupal is created by councils for councils. Councils share code that’s already been written based on research and experience from other councils. Having the code available to use at no cost means a huge saving on the cost of development.
And this was how we used to pitch the switch in the early days of LocalGov Drupal. The argument was based on hopeful, anecdotal evidence – banking on characteristics of open source (it’s cheaper) or the time saving of not having to write code from scratch.
With over 60 councils currently running or developing their sites on LGD, we finally have the scale to test those assumptions against hard reality.
Here is exactly what the numbers tell us about how LGD is changing public sector budgets, and it refreshes the economic business case for LGD.
The headline numbers
By analysing the Freedom of Information data, council contract registers and supplier pricing, the true cost comparison between LGD and proprietary content management systems (CMS) has been mapped.
Rebuild costs drop by 12.5% to 40%
Choosing LGD dramatically lowers the upfront cost of a full website overhaul. Most LGD rebuilds cost between £70,000 and £150,000, whereas most proprietary rebuilds cost between £80,000 and £250,000 (and often much more).
£30,000 to £90,000 typically saved on development
Because LGD relies on a shared pool of features, code and design systems, development teams do not need to reinvent the wheel. Councils do not have to pay suppliers to build basic page types, directories or forms from scratch, and there are no charges for adding new modules.
Lower running costs
Proprietary systems often lock councils into expensive annual renewal fees that escalate over time. The median ongoing running cost for an LGD site sits at £21,625 per year, compared to a typical proprietary CMS cost of £30,000 to £120,000 per year.
Around £50,000 a year saved on licence fees
Every enhancement made to the LGD codebase by any participating council or agency benefits the entire community. There are no paywalls, no proprietary upgrade costs and absolutely no hidden licensing fees.
Sites launch 6 to 12 months faster
Because the underlying architecture, content types and accessible design patterns already exist, councils can skip the prolonged structural build phase. This allows project teams to focus immediately on what matters most: content strategy, user journeys and service design.
Now councils are able to launch websites faster than ever before. Luton Borough Council launched their new website in about 180 days!
Building to share
“From a development perspective, building a council website from scratch is like rewriting the highway code every time you build a new road,” says Tony Barker, Lead Developer of the LocalGov Drupal project and Annertech LGD specialist.
“With LocalGov Drupal, councils inherit a mature, fully accessible architecture on day one. Because the community actively collaborates and shares code, developers can focus on deploying proven features rather than building basic directories or forms from scratch. This massive technical efficiency is exactly what drives down developer costs and shrinks launch timelines by up to a year.”
The LocalGov Drupal community regularly gathers to give feedback, updates and solutions to the challenges faced by councils.
“I regularly get anecdotal feedback from councils and clients at community sessions. These provide us with valuable real-world insights. And pairing those qualitative experiences with robust quantitative data gives us a far more compelling picture.”
What this means for local authorities
“For years, pitching open source to senior leadership required a bit of a leap of faith,” says Stella Power, Managing Director at Annertech.
“This data changes everything. It transforms the internal conversation for local authorities from a hopeful IT pitch into an airtight, risk-reduced business case. When finance directors can see evidence of 50% lower running costs and zero licence fees, choosing LocalGov Drupal stops being just a tech decision; it becomes a strategic financial choice that actively protects public services and saves taxpayers money.”
Whether your council is actively considering joining the LGD movement or you are looking to expand an existing implementation into new regional portals, this data changes the game.
You no longer have to rely on supplier estimates or open-source philosophy to justify your digital strategy. The numbers speak for themselves: LocalGov Drupal delivers highly optimised, accessible and user-centred council websites at a fraction of the traditional cost.
After more than two decades in journalism, Alison now collaborates with Annertech's clients to ensure that their content is the best it possibly can be.
Related Blog Posts
-
-
18 August 2026A year in the LGD Developer role. What can we achieve today?
-
Want to see how much your council could save?
You don’t need to guess your digital budget or rely on supplier estimates anymore. Get in touch with our team today to find out how migrating to LocalGov Drupal can protect your public services and lower your running costs.
