Agenda item

The Chief Digital and Information Officer and Head of Digital introduced the report on the Draft Hillingdon Digital Strategy. The Council's Draft Digital Strategy (the Strategy) for the next three years was presented for input before being presented to Cabinet for final endorsement. Members heard that the Strategy aimed to make the Council more modern and efficient by prioritising customer needs and focusing on delivering services digitally to help residents and customers access Council services 24/7. The Council aimed to adopt an agile approach to delivery, a unified approach to delivering customer needs and emphasised the use of data to direct better decisions.  It was highlighted that the London Borough of Hillingdon (LBH) was one of the first local authorities to deploy an automated voice and web chat system.

The Head of Digital explained the Strategy’s five work streams which were aimed at  improving services for residents. The first work stream emphasised on building services online to make it more user friendly for residents. The second work stream highlighted the importance of data for better decision-making, using data to diagnose issues before they occurred and improve service delivery. The third work stream involved modernising infrastructure and systems to enable self-service. The fourth work stream focused on building digital capability and inclusion, ensuring that online services were accessible to all residents while freeing up resources for the most vulnerable. The final work stream focussed on using technology to make improvements in the Borough and the way it functioned.

Members enquired whether there were varied focus groups in place to test systems prior to them being rolled out completely. It was explained that customers and residents were involved in designing services, including user testing to understand needs and tests of the website. Post rollout feedback would also be collated and the government digital services methodology would be followed.

The Committee acknowledged that there was a need for digital engagement however it needed to be fit for purpose.  Questions were raised regarding residents who may never be able to access services online and  how the proposed developments would work for people who preferred to use phones. The importance of digital inclusion was highlighted to Members and it was recognised that some people might not be able to interact online. Vulnerable customers were prioritised for support and there were already initiatives in place to support residents such as recycling devices and providing training to help residents build digital skills. The Council was committed to ensuring that both residents and staff had  the necessary digital skills to improve service delivery.

In terms of the proposed connectivity programmes, it was noted that the LBH had significantly improved its connectivity, although some areas still required work.  Members heard about initiatives such as partnerships with the West London Alliance to deploy 5G technology and plans to keep up with future advancements like 6G and 7G.

In response to questions regarding  the timeline for integrating new services and its impact on full time employees, it was explained that LBH was the first council to use Amazon Web Services (AWS) for front-facing customer contact, which significantly reduced the budget by decreasing the number of people answering telephones. There were also plans to integrate more sophisticated technology, such as generative AI and web chat, to further enhance efficiency. The Council aimed to adopt tried and tested solutions to improve service offerings and generate savings while delivering a better customer experience.

The Committee noted the ambition of the Strategy but emphasised the need for balance and adjustment to meet resident needs. Some Members expressed concerns about the recent software decisions, such as the introduction of Goss which had not demonstrated expected agility. The importance of focusing on quality assurance as a key performance indicator was emphasised and the challenges with the AWS system where some queries required personal engagement rather than being resolved digitally were noted.

Some Members also raised concerns about the transition from Jigsaw to Locator for housing homeless prevention which had resulted in residents no longer being able to get real-time updates on their housing cases. It was considered that this often caused digital exclusion and it was important to  understand customer needs and experiences, particularly for those who had social needs or anxieties.

Officers acknowledged the feedback on key performance indicators and the balance between measurable and future targets. The importance of balancing personal touch with digital experiences and recognising different resident needs within the community was stressed to Members. The Council aimed to allocate resources efficiently focusing on personal experiences and joined-up services.  The creation of a data platform to connect information and support residents and households more effectively was explained to the Committee. Members were assured that the Council was committed to continuously improving customer experience and learning from feedback. The Strategy aimed to improve people's lives through better digital provision and understanding residents' needs.

In terms of a timetable for key deliverables expected before 2027, it was noted that the Strategy reflected the Council’s vision from 2024 to 2027. Key deliverables included reengineering the customer experience with a new website and web chat, implementing a data platform to improve decision-making using data from residents, a digital inclusion program to support vulnerable people and a rolling program to review and digitise Council services focusing on efficiency and productivity.

During Member questions it was noted that the website offered translation services in over 100 languages and there was provision in place to ensure accessibility to screen readers. Discussions also took place about how  customer service calls and data collection could be improved to better integrate this into the Strategy.

Members enquired how the Strategy was going to change the culture within the Council to ensure that essential data and feedback from residents was accurately captured and used effectively.  It explained that the Strategy aimed to accelerate the change in the Council's culture to be more customer-focused and understanding of residents' needs. It emphasised the importance of taking feedback and using it to improve services. The Strategy  and officers acknowledged that this was  a progressive journey and would take time to achieve. The key goal was to use data and feedback to support communities better, break down barriers within services and target services more effectively.

Whilst noting the concerns around the need to address key performance indicators with the focus on residents needs, the Committee welcomed the  comprehensive report and draft strategy. It was agreed that an update report would be provided to the Committee on how the Strategy was progressing.

The Committee agreed the following comments:

The Committee welcomes the advances and positive strides made in the digital strategy and at the same time recognising the need to make resident experience with the Council evermore effectively digital in addition to actively supporting those residents less able to access digital services.

RESOLVED: That the Committee:

1.    acknowledged the Draft Digital Strategy and provided comments prior to its submission to Cabinet on 2 October 2024.

2.    requested that an update report be added to the work programme focussing on the  Digital Strategy implementation progress.