Report of the Director of Inclusive Economy attached

This report provides the background of the Manchester Digital Strategy’s development, and its alignment to the city’s strategic priorities. The appended presentation on the emerging Manchester Digital Strategy will be presented to the Committee at the meeting for consideration.

The Committee considered a report of the Director of Inclusive Economy, which provided an overview to the development of the Manchester Digital Strategy and its alignment to the city’s strategic priorities. The Committee also received a presentation that detailed the work to date to create the Strategy and its emerging priorities.

Key point and themes of the report included:-

·                A strategy was required to drive the cohesive vision of digital across the city;

·                Supporting all Manchester residents to be able to access opportunities digitally is key to building a more inclusive city;

·                The prosed emerging Strategy was currently based around four pillars which aligned to the Developing A More Inclusive Economy – Our Manchester Industrial Strategy;

·                Strategic alignment was essential to ensure successful implementation of the Digital Strategy’s aims both within the Council and across the city;

·                The city’s digital sector continued to be one of our key growth sectors, both in terms of increasing jobs and gross value added;

·                Whilst there are many employment opportunities in this growth area, it was essential to increase digital skills levels and improve digital infrastructure to ensure all of Manchester’s residents and neighbourhoods can access them; and

·                Following the Committee’s comments, the draft Strategy will go out for public consultation in early 2021.

Some of the key points that arose from the Committees discussion were:-

·                What was meant by the phrase deploying digital connectivity as a utility and to what extent could the Council support this;

·                There was concern that there would not be enough capacity to upskill Manchester residents in using digital;

·                Was there any capacity within the strategy to ensure that the Council and its partners procured from organisations that were committed to being carbon zero or carbon negative;

·                Further information was requested on Fibre Manchester and the required physical infrastructure to enable the Strategy to be delivered;

·                To what extent did the Strategy address access to the necessary technology for all residents in the city, such as fibre broadband to all properties;

·                Who would be held accountable for the progress of the Strategy; and

·                Would there be a joined up GM approach to procuring the necessary digital devices for those who were subject to digital poverty.

The Digital Strategist informed the Committee that the Council would be joining with Tameside and potentially a further three GM Councils to enable the delivery of the physical infrastructure across the city and region through the use of digital co-operatives.  This would allow for smaller operators to enter the market and provide more choice for residents at lower prices.  He clarified that in terms of ownership of the infrastructure, this would belong to the co-operative or by a co-operative member.  He added that viewing digital connectivity as a utility simply meant that it would be available everywhere, in some places free and in other at an affordable rate.  In terms of the Green Economy, there were many organisations within the industry that were operating as Carbon neutral and reinvesting in renewable energy and it would be these types of organisations that the Council should align itself with going forward.

The Director of Inclusive Economy advised of the steps that were being taken to help residents get connected and develop the necessary digital skills, including the work of schools and colleges with students in terms of blended learning.  She added that at present she was not aware of any GM wide procurement approach but would investigate the possibility of this and outlined how the Council and MAES had provided a vast number of residents with the necessary equipment to enable them to become digitally included.

The Deputy Leader agreed to take on board all the comments made by the Committee as the Strategy was developed and agreed to report back as to how the digital offer could be improved for Manchester residents.

Decisions

The Committee:-

(1)      Notes the report.

(2)      Notes that a number of themes emanating from this item will likely form future agenda items in the next Municipal Year.