The Community, Cultural, and Corporate Services Scrutiny Committee of Lancashire County Council met on Thursday, 6 November 2025, to review the first year of the council's Digital Strategy and discuss the data informing proposals for Local Government Reorganisation.

Digital Strategy 2024-2029: First Year Delivery Report

The committee reviewed the first year of Lancashire County Council's Digital Strategy, which aims to close the digital divide, enhance connectivity, and foster innovation. The strategy is built around six ambitions: building digital partnerships, providing a great resident experience, driving innovation from data and AI, creating technical foundations, building digital skills and culture, and leveraging digital in social care.

Key achievements highlighted in the report include:

• Digital Partnerships: Over 5,244 residents were supported through digital inclusion initiatives, with 709 devices donated and 1,014 residents receiving free mobile data.
• Resident Experience: New services like the Blue Badge application and virtual agents have improved accessibility, with virtual agents handling around 4,509 queries. Over 120 service forms have been redesigned.
• Data and AI Innovation: A Family Master Data Management solution was launched, alongside an AI ethics framework. Over 10,500 employees have access to generative AI, with 1,227 staff trained in using Copilot Web.
• Technical Foundations: A Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system and digital front door platform were developed. Over 70 applications were removed or consolidated, and 185 legacy servers were retired.
• Digital Skills and Culture: Over 250 staff were trained in data analytics. The council's intranet migration to a modern SharePoint platform is over 80% complete.
• Digital Social Care: The new online Children's Portal handled 6,256 service requests, and smart fall-detection lamps were deployed in 50 care homes.

The committee discussed the importance of digital inclusion, with Councillor John Potter raising concerns about the significant proportion of the population who are digitally excluded. Councillor Aidy Riggott highlighted the need for more communication and engagement with councillors regarding the use of AI. The committee also discussed the potential impact of Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) on digital services.

The committee considered recommendations regarding the monitoring of the Digital Strategy's implementation, providing feedback on future priorities, and identifying areas for future focus.

The Data for Local Government Reorganisation (LGR)

The committee received an overview of the data sets being used to inform proposals for Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) in Lancashire. The government's plan is to replace the current two-tier system of district and county councils with single unitary authorities responsible for all local services.

The data presented covered various aspects of Lancashire, including:

• Population and Demographics: Current and projected population figures, life expectancy, and mortality rates.
• Deprivation and Social Mobility: Levels of deprivation, social mobility, and access to internet and phone services.
• Children, Young People, and Families: Demand for social care, educational attainment, and home-to-school transport.
• Adult Social Care and Health: Current and projected demand, care home provision, and public health data.
• Housing and Homelessness: Rental market analysis, housing affordability, and homelessness assessments.
• Finance and Operations: The financial standing of Lancashire's 15 local authorities, shared services, and ICT systems.
• Waste, Recycling, and Environment: Waste collection models, recycling rates, and environmental quality.
• Libraries, Leisure, and Culture: Data on libraries, parks, and cultural destinations.
• Highways, Transport, and Travel: Road conditions, public transport usage, and car ownership.

The committee heard that resident surveys indicated a preference for retaining existing local councils over larger unitary authorities, with concerns raised about the loss of local identity and potential for areas to be overlooked. Stakeholder engagement also highlighted concerns from town and parish councils about their voices being lost in larger authorities.

Councillor Simon Gummer questioned the data's alignment with resident preferences, stating that the survey results showed a majority were satisfied with current services and did not favour unitaries. Councillor Azhar Ali OBE, Leader of the Opposition, emphasised that LGR is government policy and not a local initiative.

The committee discussed various LGR options, including two, three, four, and five unitary authorities, and the criteria the government will use to assess proposals, such as service quality, community engagement, and financial sustainability. The potential impact of scale on service delivery, particularly in social care, was also highlighted.

The committee considered recommendations to ensure the data sets informing LGR options are used to make evidence-based proposals.

Community, Cultural and Corporate Services Scrutiny Committee Work Programme 2025/26

The committee reviewed its work programme for the 2025/26 municipal year. This included planned scrutiny activities on topics such as the Transformation Portfolio, the Digital Strategy, Local Government Reorganisation, Workforce Planning, and Libraries as a Community Hub. An in-year request to add the Lancashire County Council Improvement Plan 2025–2027 to the work programme was also considered.