Agenda item

The Strategic Director to submit a report to raise awareness of the future direction of digital and to adopt in principle a Phase 1 Digital Strategy that incorporates the Local Government Digital Standard.

The Strategic Director submitted a report to raise awareness of the future direction of digital strategy and to adopt in principle a Phase 1 Digital Strategy that incorporates the Local Government Digital Standard.

The Strategic Director explained that digital technologies are changing how we all live our lives and that digital revolution is not just about the technology but true digital transformation will change business processes, employee and leadership skills/ behaviours and corporate culture. The digital strategy has the potential to change the way we do everything in the future. The report highlights Phase one of the strategy and is the interim to the full strategy which is intended to be developed in 2018/19.

A Member stated that he supports the recommendation and when the elections take place in two years’ time he believes all Members should utilise digital devices instead of paper.

The Strategic Director explained to a Member that a more detailed roadmap and resource plan for the Phase 1 Digital Strategy will be brought back to the July Committee.

A Member raised concerns around the elderly within the community who were not digitally aware and if the Council goes digital then special care should be taken and assistance offered to ensure the elderly do not get left behind and become vulnerable to crimes associated with digitalisation.

It was highlighted by a Member that the computer package within the Council is not as good as it could be. The Strategic Director pointed out that the current market dictates that legacy systems are still used but that the market is starting to change and over the next five to ten years there are likely to be more low cost cloud open source based systems to enable easier integration. Concerns were raised over the costs associated with the right software packages and the Strategic Director explained that there is emphasis on moving fast but the new software is becoming cheaper. The Strategic Director gave an example of the e-commerce software that is being used on the Commercialism project that has has taken two months to implement, is high quality and free to use, something that just a few years back would have been impossible to achieve.

A Member explained that there is better connectivity in technology with the apps available and users are not required to be computer savvy. It was stated that the Council must go forward and be seen as the community leader.

It was asked if Melton Borough Council was ahead of other authorities and asked if there are others that the Council could learn from. The Strategic Director explained that the Council does try to learn from others and it helps with the ICT partnership but further work is still needed. It was highlighted that the Council is not starting from scratch and is currently in a good position; however the Council does not want to get left behind.

All recommendations were moved by Councillor Orson and Councillor Greenow seconded.

All Members were unanimously in favour.

RESOLVED that:

1) The intention of working towards a full Digital Strategy in 2018/19 and the likely intended content be noted.

2) The Phase 1 Digital Strategy be approved in principle and intention to report back in July 2017 with a more detailed roadmap and resourcing plan, be noted.

3) Councillor Sheldon be approved as a Lead Member for Digital to champion the Strategy and work appropriately with officers moving forward.

(The discussion here went into exempt session and returned to public session for agenda item 7, Annual Staff Review. The Corporate Property Officer, the Strategic Director and Councillor Sheldon here left the meeting)