Agenda item

To receive the report of Head of 100% Digital Leeds which updates the Committee on the work of the 100% Digital Leeds digital inclusion team. Including information on some of the workstreams and activities that are increasing digital inclusion for geographical communities and communities of interest.

The report of the Head of 100% Digital Leeds updated the Committee on the work of the 100% Digital Leeds digital inclusion team. Including information on some of the workstreams and activities that were increasing digital inclusion for geographical communities and communities of interest.

The Head of 100% Digital Leeds outlined the following information:

• Points 2 to 5 of the report set out how the 100% Digital Team operated as part of the Integrated Digital Service, working with partners and services engaged with communities.
• Point 4 set out the vision of the department, noting that ‘everyone in Leeds has equal opportunity to use digital tools, technology and services in the right way for them’. The aim was to provide opportunities and capacity without being prescriptive.
• Community voice informed operations to address where need is most significant for digital support and education, enabling people to determine their own outcomes when using digital technology.
• From point 6 the ongoing projects 100% Digital were involved with were outlined, with a link to the Digital Leeds Website included where more detailed information on key initiatives can be found.
• A notable project related to digital inclusion for transport, in order to increase tools available and expand people’s options, such as using bus and taxi apps. The project had been ongoing for around 9 months and funding had been secured from central Government.
• Projects focused on a cross sectional and community voice models, consulting with relevant parties, such as the third sector, who deliver services for communities of interest.
• The service relied upon a range of expertise with varied understanding and scope from partners, some localised and some city wide.
• Point 12 onwards noted the breadth of work conducted by the service, working to improve the capacity for partner organisations and addressing barriers to inclusivity through funding, information and co-designed interventions.
• Point 14 detailed consultation results from a sample survey of 10% of the organisations the service worked with over the last year.
• Appendix 1 provided an illustrative overview for broadband speed and coverage for Leeds North East.
• Appendix 2 provided an A-Z list of partners the service had worked with over the past year.

The Committee discussed the following:

• As some areas of the Outer North East had limited access to Hubs and libraries, it was outlined that capacity for an increase in home visits was being worked on, with some funding potentially being secured, to engage with elderly people and people living with disabilities or mental health issues.
• The Digital Inclusion Board, which was co-chaired by 100% Digital Leeds and Leeds Older People Forum, and with Wetherby In Support of the Elderly (WiSE) included on the board’s membership, was noted to be well attended and displayed good partnership working.
• Any suggestions from Members for appropriate community venues or organisations the service could engage with were welcomed.
• To address digital inequality, an equipment lending scheme was in place to allow people to begin their journey to accessing digital skills and technology.
• The reliability of the data contained in Appendix 1 was queried as it only detailed internet bandwidth availability and not the number of buildings or people that were connected. In response, it was noted internet providers often withhold this information due to its commercially sensitive nature.
• It was confirmed that landlines were proposed to be turned off by 2025, and all calls after then will be done via the internet. This raised challenges as Council telecare services, including fall alarms, operated through landlines and some people may not be ready to make the change, however, British Telecoms (BT) were providing vulnerable customers with support and information. Further updates on the issue were to be provided back to Members.
• The consultation sample size of 10% was noted to be low, the reasoning behind this was to not add additional pressure on organisations as they were unpaid partners. A list of organisations specific to the Outer North East was to be provided to Members.
• Town and Parish Councils were suggested as a suitable bodies for community engagement, with access to community venues that would be good for events or workshops.
• To achieve the ambition for 100% of people in Leeds to have the opportunity to choose to use technology in a way that suits their lifestyle, socio-economic factors need to be addressed. Through partnership work, organisations can provide people with a safety net to have access to digital technology to manage their health, social connectivity and employment opportunities.
• Success was noted to be indicated by the services support of wider council strategies, such as Health and Wellbeing and Inclusive Growth.
• The funding for the Department for Transport’s ‘Tackling loneliness with transport’ was outlined to be approximately £200,000 which was shared between relevant partners and as the Council is a statuary body, funding was applied for by partner organisation.
• The need for digital skills development and inclusivity was noted to be great across Leeds and the main barriers to access were age, poverty and education level. There was also a personal choice element to provision and the model for engagement by the service was thought to be appropriate and not overbearing.
• It was outlined that the service only had a regional contact for the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) which shared the Leeds digital inclusion model across West Yorkshire. Local data from DWP was to be gathered to outline people’s needs, such as eligibility for social tariffs.
• A General Practitioners Surgery was due for closure in the Harewood Ward, it was agreed the 100% Digital Team will assess options, alongside input from Members, to support technological requirements, to reduce disruption for people accessing health care from this community. A meeting to discuss options was proposed.

RESOLVED – That to the contents of the report and Member comments be noted.