Issue - meetings

Presentation by the Executive Director of People

The Committee received a presentation from Andrea Watts, Executive Director of People that updated on the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority (CA) Digital Inclusion Strategy (the Strategy).

Ms. Watts advised the Committee:

·       About the key components of connectivity, equipment and skills

·       That Digital inclusion was a priority set out in the CA’s Corporate Plan; and that the CA’s Digital Infrastructure project included a substantial social value element that had significant ambitions towards supporting digital access and inclusion, as well as jobs and apprenticeships

·       Work to date which included the proposals being formulated that would deliver the Digital Inclusion workstream, with the aim of targeting provision, providing a joined-up approach with other programmes, and ensuring that residents across Liverpool City Region had the abilities, access and support needed to take part in a modern digital life

·       About the Digital Inclusion Alliance Network whose premise was to build a membership network that would drive the Digital Inclusion agenda from a strategic perspective, harnessing a range of key sector representatives both from statutory services, but also bring in employers, community groups, housing providers, education providers and health to name but a few

·       About the Digital Inclusion Pledge and that as part of the membership of the Digital Alliance Network, members would be invited to sign a Digital Inclusion Pledge that would commit organisations to supporting digital inclusion efforts and would be co-designed via the Taskforce underpinned by a number of principles

·       About the Digital Champions Model that built upon former schemes and would include support through trained LCR Digital Champions. This would enable volunteers to be trained who would provide holistic support and guidance to individuals who were digitally excluded, helping them get online and make the most of a modern digital life

·       About Digital Support Intervention Pilots that informed by data and local authority colleagues, other areas of intervention would be explored that helped target digital exclusion –e.g., social broadband tariffs, recycled digital kit or free mobile data for those most in need

·       About the next steps which included the inaugural Digital Inclusion Taskforce Meeting on 23rd January 2023; the completion of several surveys gathering lived experience of digital inclusion through programmes including Households into Work and the Department for Work & Pension’s Restart Scheme; working closely with UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) colleagues in the Combined Authority; funding that was expected to be committed by the end of the financial year.

Members of the Committee asked questions/commented on the following issues:

·       Cross-generational support offered by schools to help residents with ICT skills such as “silver surfer clubs”

·       The current operation of 3tc, the Merseyside-based technology charity offering ICT services, ICT Training and Conference Facilities

·       Recycling of out-of-date ICT equipment

·       The lost opportunity to access the Digital Europe Programme following the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the EU

·       How residents could access the provision of ICT services offered by Sefton CVS

·       The provision of ICT services by Sefton’s library service 

RESOLVED:

That Ms Watts be thanked for her informative presentation.