The five pillars

Our digital strategy for the next few years is built around five aims or 'pillars'.

Smart neighbourhoods

We are committed to making Southwark one of the best-connected boroughs in London by using emerging technology. We aim to understand how technology can be used to empower our residents, businesses and staff to become digital-first. We want to innovate using the Internet of Things (IoT) and Smart City Technologies to help monitor and improve our borough environment. We will work with partners and learn from best practice.

People powered digital experience

Our aim is to improve your experience by reviewing how we deliver our digital services. We want to create a single front door for Southwark residents with a single sign on experience where possible.

Digital inclusion: closing the gap

We are tackling digital exclusion. We want to make sure our residents have the tools, skills, and technology they need. We are providing fast, reliable Internet availability throughout the Borough, and the skills to enable our residents to use digital technologies.

A well-run council

We are establishing a centralised hub for Technology and Digital within our organisation. We will provide our staff with modern workplace technology and ensure they have the necessary skills to use them effectively. This will help us be more responsive to resident needs, and provide the organisation with additional capacity to serve the residents of Southwark better. This involves a commitment to aligning our services with user requirements. We will make essential investments in technology to ensure accessibility and security.

Data enabled

Prioritising the use of data and insights for understanding the needs of our communities is a priority. We are building appropriate governance structures to facilitate the internal sharing of data and insights within the organisation. We are fostering collaborative efforts aimed at enhancing the quality of residents’ lives with external partners. Additionally, we are in the process of developing open data initiatives on our website to promote the transparency and sharing of information.