Chimmels, Park Rd, Dartington Hall, Totnes TQ9 6EQ
Sector:
Lambeth Council
Enabling connected council services through a modern integration platform
The Challenge
Lambeth is one of 14 local authorities clustered around the banks of the Thames, making up the inner part of Greater London.
It is a diverse and vibrant borough of around ten square miles, with a population of approximately 330,000, making it one of the most densely populated areas in London. Lambeth Council delivers a wide range of services, including Children’s Services, Adults and Public Health, Neighbourhoods and Growth, and Corporate Resources.
The Council had previously implemented BizTalk Server 2010 to connect internal and external systems. However, due to organisational changes and limited in-house technical resource, the platform was not being used to its full potential.
At the same time, the need for reliable integration across core business functions – including HR, identity management, social housing, parking, welfare, and IT service management – was growing. The Council recognised that BizTalk could play a central role in enabling this, but needed the right structure, tooling, and expertise to realise its value.
The Approach
We worked with Lambeth to establish BizTalk as a central, trusted integration platform, capable of supporting a wide range of business functions.
Before development began, we established a structured software development lifecycle (SDLC), ensuring integrations could be delivered in a consistent, quality-controlled environment with proper release management and version control.
Automation, testing and repeatable delivery were priorities from the outset. A key requirement was enabling new integrations to be delivered across multiple areas of the Council, including housing, parking, welfare, and IT services.
To support this, we:
Defined a scalable Enterprise Service Bus (ESB) architecture using BizTalk Server 2016 as the foundation for integration across the Council.
Established CI/CD processes using Visual Studio Team Services (VSTS).
Introduced automated testing to support reliable delivery.
Delivered early proof-of-concept integrations to demonstrate value.
Provided training and mentoring to build internal capability.
This approach ensured that Lambeth could not only implement a new integration platform, but also adopt the processes and practices needed to sustain it.
Our solutions
We designed and delivered a BizTalk 2016-based Enterprise Service Bus to support integration across the Council’s systems.
Key elements included:
ESB implementation: Deployment of BizTalk Server 2016 as a central integration platform, enabling communication between internal systems and external services.
Hybrid integration capability: Integration with Azure Logic Apps, enabling hybrid scenarios and extending connectivity through a wide range of system connectors.
Automated delivery framework: Implementation of CI/CD pipelines using Azure DevOps to enable consistent, quality-controlled development and release processes.
Process automation: Replacement of manual tasks with automated integrations, including onboarding processes linked to Active Directory.
Trusted integration gateway: Establishing BizTalk as a trusted gateway for data exchange between internal and external systems.
Training and enablement: Upskilling internal teams in integration patterns, testing, automation, and best practices.
Ongoing support: Continued support for the live environment, alongside design and development of new interfaces.
The Process
We began by assessing the existing BizTalk 2010 environment to determine which components could be reused and where new development was required.
From there, we worked with Lambeth to capture the requirements for an initial proof of concept, defining how BizTalk 2016 could be used to deliver practical integration scenarios.
Working with the HR team, we implemented an onboarding integration that automated account creation in Active Directory, removing manual steps and improving efficiency, while also creating a pathway for potential future migration of the HR system to the cloud.
In parallel, we established the development environments and tooling needed to support CI/CD processes, enabling integrations to be delivered in a consistent, controlled way.
Alongside this, we provided training and mentoring to ensure internal teams could adopt best practices around integration patterns, testing, automation, and development of both BizTalk and Azure-based applications.
We then built out multiple BizTalk environments, creating a structured ‘production line’ for developing, testing, and releasing new integrations with automated testing and deployment through VSTS.
The Outcome
Lambeth established a modern, structured integration platform that enabled more effective communication across systems and services.
- Improved use of existing investment:
BizTalk was transformed from an underutilised platform into a central integration capability.
- Increased automation:
Manual processes were replaced with automated integrations, improving efficiency and reducing errors.
- Consistent delivery of new integrations:
CI/CD processes enabled faster, more reliable development and deployment.
- Better data flow across services:
Integration between key business functions improved operational coordination.
- Stronger internal capability:
Training and mentoring enabled internal teams to manage and extend the platform.
- Foundation for future integration:
A scalable ESB model supporting both on-premises and hybrid integration scenarios.
Why it worked
By combining platform implementation with structured delivery processes and hands-on enablement, we helped Lambeth move from a partially used system to a fully operational integration capability.