Agenda item

Brent Council’s current four-year digital strategy ends in April 2026. In the context of pressing financial challenges and the rapid pace of technological change this report outlines a two-year digital roadmap developed to set out the Council’s ambitions for using digital to enable transformation and support delivery of savings from 2026-28.

The 2026-28 Brent Council Digital Roadmap also sets out the required investment to ensure the Council can continue to enable its Embrace Change Portfolio vision and deliver 2026-27 cross-cutting digital and resident experience savings (along with previously agreed business case savings) as well as to develop a pipeline of further digitally enabled savings for 2027-28 and beyond.

Cabinet RESOLVED:

(1)       To approve the Brent Council Digital Roadmap 2026-28, as detailed within the report.

(2)       To approve a capital budget of £4,435,455 in 2026/27 (in addition to the budget of £817,554 for 2026/27 approved by Cabinet in 2021) and of £4,313,408 in 2027/28. This budget to be funded by prudential borrowing.

Eligible for call-in: Yes

Deadline for submission of call-in: 6pm on Monday 26 January 2026

Councillor Rubin (Cabinet Member for Climate Change & Community Action) introduced a report from the Corporate Director of Service Reform & Strategy, setting out (within the context of Brent’s current four-year digital strategy to April 2026, pressing financial challenges and the rapid pace of technological change) a two-year digital roadmap developed to meet the Council’s ambitions for use of digital to enable transformation and support the delivery of savings from 2026-28.  The report also detailed the required investment to ensure the Council could continue to enable its Embrace Change Portfolio vision and deliver 2026-27 cross-cutting digital and resident experience savings (along with previously agreed business case savings) as well as to develop a pipeline of further digitally enabled savings for 2027-28 and beyond.

In presenting the report, Councillor Rubin began by outlining what he felt to be the clear and ambitious plan set out within the Digital Roadmap 2026-28, which he pointed out had been designed to build on the Council’s strong track record and recent achievements whilst setting out how the Council’s digital offer would continue to support residents, staff, and also deliver savings over the long term.

In highlighting the achievements delivered through digital transformation over the previous four year period, reference was made to the way in which the Council had modernised its technology, improved access to services and reduced pressure on the contact centre whilst also being able to deliver more than £10m in savings and efficiencies recognising that the changes outlined has also enabled staff to spend more time supporting residents and provided easier access to services. As an additional benefit, members were also advised that since 2021 under the existing Strategy, the Council had been able to provide 4,500 digital devices with over 1,700 laptops going to schools, foster carers and care leavers in Brent, alongside SIM cards and broadband support where needed.

In seeking to build on these achievements as a means of delivering further improvements and efficiencies, members noted the development of the roadmap on an invest-to-save basis involving targeted upfront investment designed to support the delivery of nearly £6m worth of savings over the two year period, while also building a strong pipeline of further savings over future years.

Recognising the way in which the roadmap had also been designed with residents at its core, the opportunity was also taken to outline its role in supporting initiatives that would deliver quicker resolution of queries, ensure AI was used in a safe and ethical way whilst also fostering a greater understanding of community needs and maximising the impact of social value contributions with not processes as the focus of the digital transformation process.  In concluding, as an example of support, reference was made to the work identified around development of a Brent app designed to deliver a single digital front door for residents, making it quicker and simpler to access services, track requests and get support, while ensuring face-to-face and phone services remained available for those who needed them.

In considering the report, members welcomed the approach outlined not only in terms of the design of the roadmap as an invest to save programme seeking to deliver further savings improvements and efficiencies, but also in terms of its focus in continuing to address the challenges and divide in relation to digital exclusion, skills and accessibility and also reflecting Brent’s status as an age friendly borough.  Members were also keen to commend the proactive approach outlined in terms of the way the roadmap sought to embed Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) and accessibility considerations across the digital programme and as part of the digital design principles ensuring all new resident facing platforms were able to meet these requirements.

In recognising the resident focussed nature of the strategy and way in which it also sought to support the modernisation and transformation of service delivery, whilst also delivering real financial benefits, members were keen to thank all those involved for their work in developing the roadmap.  Highlighting the ongoing focus in Brent seeking to lead the way in the rapidly evolving age of technological advancement whilst also seeking to address digital inclusion and ensure the necessary controls were in place to manage the expanding use of AI and other digital innovations, Cabinet RESOLVED

(1)       To approve the Brent Council Digital Roadmap 2026-28, as detailed within the report.

(2)       To approve a capital budget of £4,435,455 in 2026/27 (in addition to the budget of £817,554 for 2026/27 approved by Cabinet in 2021) and of £4,313,408 in 2027/28. This budget to be funded by prudential borrowing.