Agenda item

This report provides an update to the Business Support and Digital Overview and Scrutiny Committee on the Medway 2.0 Delivery Plan and highlights the key projects that are targeting savings for the 2026/27 budget.

Discussion:

The Chief Information Officer introduced the report and highlighted that significant progress had been made in a number of projects. He added that Medway 2.0 was not focused solely on technological transformation, but also joining up services and service design to ensure residents had access to the right information in a timely manner when contacting the Council.

The following issues were discussed:

Artificial Intelligence (AI) – Members welcomed the progress made and discussed safeguards for AI to ensure bias was not present in responses. The Chief Information Officer stated that the project was focused on ensuring the data was correct and only Medway data was used, rather than from external sources.

He added that in reference to Special Educational Needs and Disabilities  (SEND), AI would be used as a tool in compiling Education, Health and Care Plans (ECHPs) from various reports, but it would not be used to write the report itself, which would remain the responsibility of the relevant professional. The project was proceeding cautiously and the pilot scheme had not yet begun. 

Excluded groups – it was asked how the Council would ensure services remained in place for those residents who did not have access to digital services. The Chief Information Officer explained that those digital services would be used in integrated hubs to improve services to residents that contacted the Council in person. He added that the project sought to ensure that officers could answer as many queries as possible from residents without being referred to other services. Integrated Hubs had already opened, however the Council needed to rationalise its properties and there was a preference to utilise properties it owned rather than leased. The Committee discussed whether the public could access services at Kinglsey House or were being referred to other buildings on arrival, the Chief Information Officer stated that the public should have controlled access to Kingsley House and undertook to investigate further.

Resources – in response to a question whether the Council had the capacity and skills to undertake the transformation work required the Chief Information Officer stated that the service had been restructured to support Medway 2.0 and he was confident in the ability of the officers to take forward the service.

Local Government Reform – The Committee discussed what impact Local Government Reform would have on Medway 2.0. The Chief Information Officer stated whilst the impact could not be known at this stage, that other authorities in the region used Microsoft products and the Council was engaged in the Microsoft Partnership Network. He added that it was important as a preparatory step for the Council to ensure it had effective data management.

Measures of success – The Chief Information Officer was asked what he thought would demonstrate success for Medway 2.0. He stated that he wanted any resident to be able to access any Council building and have their issue dealt with at the first point of contact rather than being referred to different offices in Medway.  He added that the service redesign phase for customer facing processes was nearing completion and the next phase. Improving data management. was scheduled to start shortly.

Decision:

a)          The Committee noted the progress of the Medway 2.0 Delivery Plan.

b)          The Committee provided comments on the currently prioritised workstreams.