Digital Strategy refresh 2023

Overview

Our priority is to improve the services and opportunities we offer to the people of Southwark.  Digital needs to be at the front and center of how we achieve this. Continually improving the way we manage our technology and digital services is crucial if we are to respond to local needs, operate with reduced budgets, and keep up with changes in the technology world. Creating a detailed roadmap within the strategy that outlines specific milestones and objectives for the digital transformation efforts.

The Technology and Digital strategies will provide a clear plan for how we can build an evolving and responsive IT service that meets the requirements of all our staff and residents—highlighting the potential cost savings and efficiency gains that can be achieved through the strategic use of technology and digital services.

Southwark's 2023 Refreshed Technology and Digital Pillars

1. Smart Neighbourhoods: Making Southwark one of the best-connected boroughs in London and developing emerging technology. Understanding how technology can be used to enable our residents, businesses, and staff to become digital-first and innovating using IoT, Smart City Technologies to help monitor and improve our borough environment. Working with partners and learning from best practice.
2. People Powered Digital Experience: Improving resident experiences. Reviewing how we deliver services to allow residents who choose to self-serve to have a seamless digital interaction with us. Creating one front door into the organisation through Digital Channels, Community Hubs and Contact Centre.​
3. Digital Inclusion Closing the Gap: Tackling digital exclusion and ensuring our residents have the tools, skills, and technology to participate in today’s society. Providing fast, reliable internet availability throughout the Borough, and the skills to enable our residents to use digital.​
4. A Well-Run Council: Creating a corporate centre for Technology and Digital to support our staff in accessing modern workplace technology, and the skills to enable them to deliver services as efficiently as possible. Ensuring that our services remain focused on user requirements, that we make the required investment in technology to keep our services accessible and secure.  To enable our staff to adopt a digital culture and new ways of working meet the need of citizens.​
5. Data Enabled: To use data and insight to understand the needs of our communities and have a single view of the customer.  To develop the right governance to share data and insights within the organisation and with partners to collaborate to improve residents lives. Providing tools to enable service areas to manage more effectively.  Developing open data on our website to encourage sharing of information.

Why your views matter

• Residents and staff to give their views and help shape the proposed five pillars of the Digital Strategy and what they want to see from Southwark Council regarding its Digital Offer.
• To ensure the opinions sought on this Digital Strategy represent all Southwark's communities, and is inclusive to all including, economically, ethically, and culturally diverse communities.
• To ensure our refreshed Digital Strategy meets the expectations and needs of the communities it serves.
• Collaborate with local schools and educational institutions to involve students and younger generations in shaping Southwark's digital future.

What happens next

If you would like to be kept informed about this consultation and the results, or to participate further, please ensure to leave your email address as contact details for us to contact you.