Report of the Strategic Director (Neighbourhoods)

This report provides the Committee with an update on the Council’s digital inclusion work, since the last report to scrutiny in March 2023. This includes the development and implementation of the Digital Inclusion Action Plan.

The committee considered a report of the Strategic Director (Neighbourhoods) which provided an update on the Council’s digital inclusion work, since the last report to the committee in March 2023.

Key points and themes within the report included:

• Proving an introduction to the Manchester Digital Strategy 2021-2026: Doing Digital Together;
• Digital inclusion work aligns with the priorities of the region, the city, and the Council;
• How digital inclusion work contributed to the Council’s strategies;
• The development and implementation of the Digital Inclusion Action Plan;
• How the digital inclusion programme was funded;
• Future priorities and projects; and
• Breakdowns of areas in the city where digital exclusion was highest.

Some of the key points and queries that arose from the committee’s discussion included:

• Querying if the Council’s Digital Inclusion team was working with any other LGBT+ community organisations in addition to George House Trust to help them improve their digital offer to service users;
• Whether any consideration had been given to co-designing the Council’s online systems with users;
• Whether there was any scope to work with internet service providers on the rollout of Gigabit capable broadband;
• What other markers were used to identify hotspot areas of digital exclusion;
• The importance mesh networks which would provide free internet to communities, and the need to pilot these in Manchester;
• Poor internet connectivity in Manchester’s libraries;
• Suggesting that the Council donates free dongles to residents rather than SIM cards; and
• Issues with accessing healthcare and GP appointments in an increasingly digital world.

The Executive Member for Skills, Employment and Leisure informed the committee that since the last Digital Inclusion Update, he had given evidence to a House of Lords Select Committee on digital inclusion and that this committee had been impressed by Manchester’s work in tackling this issue. He also informed the committee that the Council had developed a Digital Exclusion Index with data from several sources to understand the level of digital skills in the city. He stated that there were currently around 12 hotspot areas where support was focused. 

The Deputy Executive Member for Skills, Employment and Leisure explained that focus was placed on inclusion with digital channels as a vehicle for this. She commented that those digitally excluded often faced other kinds of exclusion and disadvantage and were disproportionately affected. She stated that a USwitch report in July 2023 found that Manchester was the most digitally inclusive city in the UK, which meant that there were more organisations and community groups offering digital skills support per capita than anywhere else in the country. It was stated that the Digital Inclusion Steering Group influenced the work undertaken with partners, such as third-sector organisations; the NHS; education; social media and public affairs companies; Microsoft; and local technology start-ups.

The Libraries and Archives Lead stated that libraries played a key role in providing internet access and support to residents and that there had been a focus over the previous 12 months on supporting VCSE organisations to embed digital inclusion support, which would continue. 

In response to a member’s query regarding what other LGBT+ organisations were being worked with, the Libraries and Archives Lead agreed to share a full list of organisations with members following the meeting.

The Executive Member for Skills, Employment and Leisure stated that it was inevitable that many systems would be online in future, and he endeavoured to raise the possibility of co-designing systems with users with his fellow Executive Members.

The Head of Libraries, Galleries, Culture and Youth, Play and Participation Services explained that there had been a focus on targeted support in libraries for residents using the Council’s website to apply for parking permits or voter ID, for example. He acknowledged the opportunity to work with the wider Council to identify any changes to the Council website which libraries staff could provide support to service users on.

With regards to work with internet service providers, the Deputy Executive Member for Skills, Employment and Leisure advised that the Digital Inclusion Steering Group had discussed this, and conversations had taken place with Virgin Media, particularly regarding the possibility of mesh pilots across deprived areas. She stated that there was an appetite for co-working, particularly between housing providers and internet service providers and the Steering Group would continue to look into this.

The Senior Digital Strategy Officer informed members of an ongoing project with Telcom providers to map connectivity and ensure equity of access and speed across the city. He also stated that the Digital Strategy team had fed into the design of the new CRM system to ensure inclusivity and ongoing feedback was received from the Manchester Deaf Centre, which the Digital Strategy team worked closely with.

In response to a query regarding the indicators of hotpots of digital inclusion, the Executive Member for Skills, Employment and Leisure stated that there were approximately 10 markers which could be circulated following the meeting. The Libraries and Archives Lead explained that much of this was tied into deprivation indices.

The Deputy Executive Member for Skills, Employment and Leisure explained that the Digital Inclusion Steering Group had received examples of areas where mesh networks had been successfully rolled out in Greater Manchester. This was something that the Council hoped to implement, and early negotiations were underway. The Senior Digital Strategy Officer confirmed that conversations were ongoing with Wythenshawe Community Housing Group and the Council’s Housing Services with buy-in from both leadership teams to progress the pilot and learning had been taken from Rochdale Council, who successfully implemented a low-cost, high-impact mesh network. He stated that the project was still in the discovery phase but emphasised that there was a strong appetite to progress.

The Executive Member for Skills, Employment and Leisure informed the committee that the Digital Inclusion Steering Group had discussed the cost-of-living crisis and the possibility of social tariffs with internet service providers, which could provide low-cost internet for basic use, and this had been piloted in Wythenshawe.

The committee was also informed that Wi-Fi in all Council public buildings was scheduled for upgrade in the next 18 months and there would also be upgrades to PCs in all libraries. It was confirmed that an upcycling scheme was in place which would recycle the old devices.

In response to a member’s suggestion to provide dongles to residents, the Libraries and Archives Lead explained that SIM cards were provided to the Council at no cost from internet service providers but priority cohorts, such as care leavers, were given dongles with a SIM card.

The Libraries and Archives Lead also informed the committee that Digital Health Hubs had been developed to work with GPs and health providers and create leaflets to promote the support available for those struggling to access health services online.

In summarising, the Chair welcomed the recognition that Manchester was the most digitally inclusive city in the UK and the ongoing work to increase digital skills and access amongst residents.

Decision:

That the report be noted.