New digital strategy aimed at ‘empowering people and enabling growth’
An ambitious new digital strategy, aimed at improving the way services are delivered to Midlothian citizens, has been approved by the council.
Empowering people
Entitled ‘Empowering people, enabling growth’, the 3-year strategy sets out how local outcomes will be improved by delivering digital services to digitally connected communities.
Opportunities
“Digital technology has transformed the way we all live - at work, at home and at school,” said Midlothian Council Leader, Councillor Derek Milligan. “This means we now have greater opportunities than ever to connect with others and to learn and work together to improve people’s lives.
Supporting communities
“Responding to the pandemic has also transformed the way the council works, and we are already using technology to allow our services to be more flexible and responsive. However, we need to do much more to harness the opportunities that a digital approach can bring. This includes supporting our communities and local businesses to thrive in a digital world and making sure that our children are prepared for the workplaces of the future.”
What's planned
Among the aims set out in the new strategy are plans to:
- Refresh the council’s approach to customer service, focussing on ‘digital first’, while making sure alternatives remain in place for those who need them
- Have a council website that is a as good as any bank or supermarket website, enabling customers to request and pay for services online and to log in to see their interactions
- Implement an update service, so that customers contacting the council online can receive follow up text messages or emails
- Look at opportunities to automate and better integrate processes so that staff can focus on the things that matter most to customers
- Enable people to stay independent and healthy for longer by using data and technology
- Introduce bookable online and face-to-face appointments so that customers don’t have to waste time queuing or travelling and to help the council reduce costs
- Review and improve online engagement with customers, including online consultations, communications and social media
- Promote Midlothian as a digital destination, creating an environment that attracts leading digital businesses to the area and supporting the innovation of start-ups
- Cultivate digital skills in our communities, ensuring that young people have access to the technology and support that they need to improve educational outcomes and to prepare them with the skills they need for the future
- Reduce digital exclusion and empower learners of all ages, enabling online access and supporting them to develop digital skills
- Support Midlothian to achieve high speed connectivity, smart infrastructure and resilient cyber defences
Council report
You can find out more in the full strategy, which was approved at a meeting of Midlothian Council held on Tuesday (June 29).