Issue - meetings

Digital Wirral

Meeting: 18/07/2016 - Cabinet (Item 29)

29 Wirral Plan: A 2020 Vision - Underpinning Strategies: Digital Strategy pdf icon PDF 110 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

This Digital Wirral Strategy – a first of its kind in our borough – sets out an ambitious Vision for a truly connected Wirral, where people, businesses and the entire community are helped to do business, access services and interact with public services and each other digitally and easily. Our Vision is that, by 2020, Wirral is a place where;

• EVERY resident will have the ability, and the skills, to connect to people, services and the world online. 

• EVERY business will be connected to Global markets through high-speed, reliable broadband.

• EVERY service will be available online; in as simple, accessible and seamless format as they are in person.

 

I encourage you to read this Strategy and to get involved in helping us to create a connected, digital Wirral for everyone.

 

  Councillor Matthew Patrick

 

Purpose:

 

Councillor Matthew Patrick introduced a report of the Policy and Strategy Manager, as part of the Wirral Plan: A 2020 Vision which set out a shared partnership vision to improve outcomes for Wirral residents. Delivery of the priorities and outcomes described in the Plan were underpinned by the development and implementation of a set of key strategies. 

 

The report provided Cabinet with the Wirral Digital Strategy. It set out a collective ambition where:

 

Wirral becomes a truly digital borough, where businesses and residents are connected to each other, services and the world. Digital technology is harnessed to create efficient and seamless services for residents, to support businesses to succeed and compete in Global markets and to drive a step-change in community engagement, connectivity and participation”.

 

Councillor Patrick referred to the estimate that across the country Councils could save £14.7 billion every year if they made better use of digital technologies. He thanked officers, the Wirral Partnership and Councillor Whittingham for all their help with the strategy.

 

Councillor Whittingham welcomed the strategy and referred to the fact that Wirral was well on its way to meeting the pledge that 98% of Wirral residents would have access to high speed broadband.

 

Councillor Phil Davies welcomed the report and the need to ensure the digitally excluded were incorporated into planning for the future and had access to the same opportunities. He also suggested the idea of developing a digital hub in Wirral giving employment opportunities to those with digital skills.

 

Reason for decision:

 

The Wirral Plan commits to ensuring ‘Technology and Infrastructure’ in Wirral is modern, fit for purpose and allows for our economy to compete in a digital economy. This Strategy is designed to deliver part of this Pledge, and also to ensure that the borough’s digital infrastructure is of the highest possible quality in order to support all other Pledges and Strategies in place to deliver our vision for Wirral in 2020.

 

RESOLVED: That Cabinet approves the Wirral Digital Strategy, as appended to the report.