Drive to unlock digital services

HELP is planned for those without digital technology to stay in contact with council officers and access vital services, as the lockdown continues to hamper face-to-face meetings.

Decision makers at Anglesey Council have approved a plan to divert over £100,000 of savings from the travel and subsistence budget towards spreading out access to services more evenly across the island.

Designed to avoid the need for residents to visit the main council offices in Llangefni – with no set timescale in place for the physical return of most staff – those without internet access could instead access online services by attending their local libraries and meeting virtually with members of the council’s Cyswllt MÔn team via video conferencing.

According to the report, which was unanimously approved by the council Executive on Monday, some of the cash will also go towards improved management of contract management monitoring.

Part of the recovery process post-lockdown, it’s hoped that the move will assist more local business to sub-contract or contract directly with the authority, a move described by the deputy chief executive as “ensuring that more of the island’s pound is spent locally.”

While the staff car allowance budget for 2020/21 had been set at £665,200, the lockdown has seen a significant underspend, with only home carers and foster carers being heavily reliant on such claims over the past six months, with video conferencing having replaced most face to face meetings.

With 25% – or £115,420 – being re-allocated, the report described the authority as “committed to equality of opportunity and accessibility”, with the pilot to look at how existing community facilities could act as hubs or gateways to virtual engagement, information sharing and communication.

It’s also proposed that the cash should go towards reducing the number of paper-based systems within the council.