Warning over council's 'alienating' technology plans

A council's plans to introduce new technology, including artificial intelligence, have faced criticism, with councillors warning of a lack of digital skills and broadband coverage.

Much of Dorset Councils' transformation programme to improve services while saving money, will be based about a wider use of technology to allow the public to interact with the authority.

But councillors claim there are still pockets around rural Dorset where broadband is not fast enough to be useful with up to a quarter of the population unable to afford internet services.

Conservative opposition group leader Councillor Andrew Parry also warned about alienating council staff as changes to ways of working are introduced.

A council report said the plans included phone systems with intelligent voice automation and artificial intelligence to help staff manage internal processes.

It said investment in its Our Future Council Transformation Plan could deliver savings of between £18m and £38.5m.

A meeting of the council's Joint Overview Committee heard the authority not only had to buy the equipment needed, it was likely to have to buy in the expertise to go with it – as not enough of its own staff had the necessary training.

Corporate development director for the council Aidan Dunn told the meeting that Dorset was already behind other local authorities in its use of technology.

Mr Dunn said: "As an organisation we don't have the money or capacity to do everything for everyone, immediately," he said.

He warned that the coming years, when changes were brought in, were likely to be "bumpy".

Weymouth councillor Dr Jon Orrell warned the council to act with care over who it bought systems from – highlighting NHS and Post Office projects where technology was not up to the job.

Sherry Jespersen, councillor for Upper Tarrants, said Dorset's older-than-average population could mean the public's ability, or willingness to use technology was likely to decline as people got older.

Mr Parry said: "Cost savings and improved customer services are not the best of bedfellows," he said.

He warned that if the planned technology did not work as it should, the council could end up alienating both staff and the public.

He said with only 40% of staff taking part in a recent internal questionnaire, it might indicate they already felt "ridden over, roughshod" about the introduction of new technology.

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