Glasgow City Council has published a new digital strategy for the next six years with an assertion that it is about organisational change and outcomes rather than technology.
It includes a number of measures as part of one of its key missions of developing sustainable and innovative digital public services.
The Digital Glasgow Strategy 2024-30 adopts a different approach to its predecessor for 2018-23, setting out actions for meeting key priorities, in contrast to the earlier documents focus on specific digital transformation programmes; but it does lay out action plans for the mission on digital services.
It conveys five core values: to be accessible and inclusive; to protect and secure; to be open and transparent; to involve and empower; and be collaborative and in partnership.
These are accompanied by three missions, one being for innovative digital public services to improve efficiency, resilience and agility of the council’s operations, improve the customer experience and increase involvement and participation.
Vision and transformation
Its action plan includes the drafting of a ‘to be’ state vision for a digital enabled council, along with a technology modernisation plan and a digital transformation handbook setting out standards, methods and approaches for the design and delivery of services.
These are accompanied by plans for a new operating model for digital, data and technology based on the existing Road to Multi-Source Strategy within the chief executive’s annual business plan.
There are also plans to enhance the council’s digital champions network to encourage staff to come up with ideas on the use of productivity software and AI, to run a campaign to promote the benefits of digital and data, and to use the UK Government's Digital and Data Profession Capability Framework in building in-house skills.
In addition, the strategy includes commitments to promote the re-use of common solutions, a focus on user-centred design, a redesign of the council’s website, initiatives to improve data maturity, equipping staff with analytical tools, developing a digital twin, new approaches to procurement and enhancing the control environment for cyber security.
Society and economy
Another mission is to create a fair and empowered digital society. It involves improving digital inclusion and equality, building confidence and trust in digital services and increasing involvement and participation.
The third is the fostering of an inclusive growth digital economy, with a holistic approach to overcoming issues facing Glasgow’s technology ecosystem, building a pipeline of digital skills in the city and ensuring diversity. Measures include the council supporting programmes to help tech entrepreneurs achieve critical mass and become self-sustainable.
Cllr Paul Leinster, chair of Digital Glasgow, said: "The new Digital Glasgow Strategy recognises the increased role that digital technology and services will play in the future, and sets out the key actions to deliver the key priorities of the strategy.
“These priorities include not only the delivery of innovative digital public services that bring an improved experience for all those who receive them; but also make our digital economy more inclusive, to increase opportunities and develop skills; and to encourage and enable greater digital inclusion, participation and confidence."
An implementation plan will be developed for the new strategy, and a governance, performance and reporting framework will be agreed with the Digital Glasgow board.
