Content

Decision
 
RESOLVED that Cabinet
approved the AI Policy as set out in Appendix 1.
 
Reasons for
decision
 
The Council does not currently have an approved
AI policy. Staff and services are seeking to utilise AI tools to
support efficiency and service improvement. Without a clear
governance framework and training, there is a growing risk of
inappropriate use, data breaches, inaccuracies, or bias in
automated outputs.
The proposed AI Policy:
•
Provides an ethical and transparent approach
for adopting and deploying AI solutions
•
Establishes governance standards aligned with
the Council’s values and legal obligations
•
Ensures consistent, responsible, and auditable
use of AI technologies
•
Supports innovation and enables the Council to
take advantage of productivity opportunities
 
Reduces risks relating to data protection,
equality, transparency, and service decision making.
 
A well-defined approach to AI will help the
Council make effective use of emerging technologies while
maintaining robust public sector governance standards.
 
Alternative Options
Considered
 
Do nothing
– Cabinet could have decided
not to adopt an AI Policy. However, this would leave the
organisation exposed to avoidable risks, including:
• Data protection and information
governance breaches
• Unmanaged use of AI tools involving
personal or commercially sensitive data
• Reputational damage
• Increased risk of bias or discriminatory
impacts on customers
• Lack of consistency across
services
 
For these reasons, the “do nothing”
option was not recommended.