Agenda item

To receive reports from the Director of City Development and the Chief Information Officer presenting information as part of the Scrutiny Board’s Inquiry into Digital Inclusion.

The Director of City Development and the Chief Information officer submitted a report which provided the Scrutiny Board with the information required to undertake the second session of the inquiry into digital inclusion.

The following information was appended to the report:

-  Update on Age Friendly Leeds Smart Cities Project

-  Get online in Leeds (June 2014)

-  West Yorkshire Superfast Broadband maps

-  Commons Select Committee – Terms of Reference, 27 July 2015

-  WYCA response – Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee Superfast Broadband Inquiry Submission

-  List of free public wi-fi available in buildings owned and maintained by Leeds City Council.

The following representatives were in attendance and responded to Members’ queries and comments:

-  Councillor James Lewis, Executive Member (Resources and Strategy)

-  Dylan Roberts, Chief Information Officer

-  Katie Dunlevey, WYCA – Previously Senior Economic Development Officer (Leeds City Council)

-  Phil Cole , Head of Funding Programme and Business Support

-  Dr Adam Beaumont, Managing Director of AQL

The key areas of discussion were:

·  The evolution, context and focus of Smart Cities and the Smart Cities Steering Group.

·  The consortium bid for funding from Innovate UK involving Leeds Bradford, Milton Keynes and Cambridge, which is focusing on housing, assisted living, transport and air quality with Leeds focusing on health and well-being.

·   All those managing breakthrough projects and required to consider Smart Cities requirements.

·  Concern that there is no allocated funding for Smart Cities development.

·  The challenge of reaching those who are digitally excluded, particularly the elderly.

·  The value of working collaboratively and engaging with different groups including technologists to develop technical solutions that will be practical and will be of benefit.

·  The fear faced by some people and the importance of investing time and effort to support people to use basic technology which is becoming essential in everyday life.

·  The funding challenges facing the NHS, the view of using technology to self-manage conditions and concern about self-diagnosis.

·  Internet provision across the city and acknowledgement that some residents will have problems accessing a wide range of providers and in some cases obtaining any access.

·  Open market review, the difficulty in obtaining a clear infrastructure picture for Leeds and the need for more collaborative relationships with Internet Services Providers and the Council to facilitate infrastructure provision particularly free wi-fi in areas of high density usage.

·  The challenges that service providers experience with Ofcom in gaining access to BT infrastructure.

·  The possibility of multipoint services to provide wi-fi access to social housing estates.

RESOLVED – The report was noted and the evidence considered as part of the inquiry.