Agenda item

To receive a report from the Director of Resources and Housing outlining progress with the Smart Cities programme since the Board’s last update in February 2020.

The report of the Director of Resources and Housing provided an update on the progress made on the Council’s smart cities programme, Smart Leeds, since the last update in February 2020.

The following were in attendance for this item:

-  Councillor James Lewis – Leader of the Council

-  Councillor Mary Harland, Executive Board Member for Economy & Culture

-  Leonardo Tantari – Chief Digital & Information Officer

-  Stephen Blackburn – Digital & Innovation Manager

-  Jason Tutin – Digital & Learning Development Manager

The following was highlighted:

• Development of a City Digital Strategy – this would support the Council’s objectives on the climate, inclusive growth and health & wellbeing.  Open workshops had been held and it was envisaged that the first draft of the strategy would be available by autumn 2021.
• Cyber security.
• Connectivity – to provide full connectivity to all areas of Leeds.  Ongoing work with network providers, introduction of 5G and provision of free Wi-Fi in community buildings.
• Data and analytics – provision of data and how this could be used to support services.
• The Smart City Priority Areas – Health and Wellbeing; Travel & Transport; Housing Standards & Growth.
• Innovation challenges and use of the White Rose Hub. 
• Opportunities for digital learning.

In response to Members comments and questions, the following was discussed:

• Provision of free Wi-Fi in retirement life schemes – the need to promote the availability of this.  There was some concern that residents may not have known about the availability of this.
• Data ethics – how data was collected, used and stored.
• Collection of real time data and how this could be used – potential for congestion charging was discussed as an example.  Further reference was made to the use of monitoring air quality data.
• There was an increased awareness of the Smart Leeds programme across the Council.

RESOLVED –

(1)  That the next-generation data platform Proof of Concept work, that will investigate how the council can improve data management, sharing and analysis, and that will help inform the business case and viability of scaling across the organisation and partnering with others be supported.

(2)  That the approach in ensuring that digital and data ethics and bias considerations are regarded as a key priority and that council staff are furnished with the right data and technological skills to understand how data that is being managed and how technology is/will be used to manage it, interpret it, and increasingly, make decisions on it be supported.

(3)  That the continued approach for the council to play a leading smart cities role at a national level and through collaborating with partners from all sectors (e.g. universities, other councils, tech companies), continues to promote Leeds as one of the UK’s leading smart cities by testing and trialling new technologies that can lead to improved outcomes for citizens be endorsed.

(4)  That the approach being taken to promote Leeds as a city of innovation excellence with the Smart Cities IoT Development Centre, Digital Skills Academy and Tech Start-up support that will be co-ordinated from the new White Rose Innovation Hub be endorsed.

(5)  That the approach to deliver a city digital strategy that is signed up to by other leading actors in the city from all sectors, and which supports and underpins the councils 3 pillars of Inclusive Growth, Health & Wellbeing and Climate Emergency be supported.