Glasgow unveils new digital strategy, focused on innovation & inclusion

Glasgow City Council has unveiled its Digital Glasgow Strategy 2024-2030, marking the first comprehensive update since 2018. The ambitious plans set out to harness digital technology to enhance the city’s economy, improve public services, and ensure digital inclusion for all residents.

The strategy has three core missions:

1. A Fair and Empowered Digital Society. Focused on promoting digital inclusion and equality, building public confidence in digital platforms, and ensuring all residents have the tools and skills needed to engage in the digital world.

2. An Inclusive Digital Economy. Developing a strong digital skills pipeline, fostering opportunities within Glasgow’s growing tech sector, and ensuring that the benefits of digital growth are accessible to all communities.

3. Sustainable and Innovative Digital Public Services. Transforming how services are delivered, improving efficiency, reducing costs, and ensuring that public sector organisations can meet the needs of citizens in a more responsive and user-friendly manner.

Digital transformation

A key component of the strategy is the transformation of public services through digital innovation. The council aims to create a seamless, accessible, and sustainable service model that meets the evolving needs of Glasgow’s residents. This includes:

• Smart and Data-Driven Public Services. Leveraging artificial intelligence, predictive analytics, and data-sharing initiatives to provide active and personalised services.
• Cloud-Based and Scalable Digital Infrastructure. Migrating services to cloud-based platforms to improve efficiency, security, and accessibility.
• User-Centred Digital Design. Ensuring that digital services are intuitive, accessible, and designed around the needs of citizens, reducing barriers to engagement.
• Sustainability in Digital Transformation. Implementing green digital solutions that reduce the environmental impact of IT infrastructure, contributing to the city’s net-zero goals.
• Cybersecurity and Digital Resilience. Strengthening data protection and resilience against cyber threats to ensure trust in public sector digital services.

These initiatives aim to improve how residents interact with local government, reducing paperwork, speeding up processes, and ensuring services are tailored to individual needs.

Organisational transformation

Unlike its predecessor, the new strategy is not solely a technology roadmap but a comprehensive plan for organisational change. It emphasises the necessity of equipping both the city and the council to leverage digital advancements while safeguarding individual rights. This approach reflects a commitment to creating a sustainable model for continuous digital transformation.

Councillor Paul Leinster, Chair of Digital Glasgow, highlighted the strategy’s significance:

The new Digital Glasgow Strategy recognises the increased role that digital technology and services will play in the future and sets out the key actions to deliver the key priorities of the strategy. These priorities include not only the delivery of innovative digital public services that bring an improved experience for all those who receive them but also make our digital economy more inclusive, to increase opportunities and develop skills; and to encourage and enable greater digital inclusion, participation, and confidence."

To illustrate the tangible benefits of digital initiatives, the strategy includes case studies showcasing personal stories of individuals positively impacted by programmes such as Glasgow Code Learning, which offers accelerated pathways into digital careers for those facing barriers to traditional education and employment. These narratives underscore the city’s dedication to fostering a digitally inclusive environment.

An implementation plan will be developed to operationalise the strategy, accompanied by a governance, performance, and reporting framework overseen by the Digital Glasgow Board. This structured approach aims to ensure that the strategy’s objectives translate into real-world improvements, positioning Glasgow as a leader in digital innovation and inclusivity.