Local councils across the UK are exploring how artificial intelligence (AI) can help improve services for residents, support staff, and make better use of limited resources. Our AI Innovation initiative brings councils together to take a coordinated and responsible approach to AI—sharing practical learning, reducing duplication, and helping ensure new tools are adopted safely, ethically and in line with public sector expectations. Key considerations are environmental sustainability of AI and protecting sensitive information.
North East Councils are predominantly following the DSIT innovation opportunities white Paper approach of “Scan”, “Pilot”, “Scale”. We have created and will maintain a shared baseline catalogue of AI activity which will capture current and emerging use cases and show maturity alongside information about governance approaches, skills and training, and relevant resources.
The initiative will help partners answer key questions such as: what AI activity already exists, what workforce capability is in place, what training and support is needed, and where there is appetite to collaborate further—for example through shared standards, shared evaluation and shared learning. By strengthening coordination and consistency, the initiative aims to support effective innovation while maintaining public trust, strong information governance and appropriate oversight.
The North East Mayoral Strategic Authority’s Digital Leads have identified the following goals:
- Share best practice across the region
- Maintain a shared understanding of solutions using AI that are being investigated, piloted or rolled out with a view to accelerated adoption.
- Share resources, templates and tooling (not just “best practice” but practical assets: policies, DPIAs, playbooks, job roles, procurement lessons learned) to help
- Build workforce capability (skills assessment, training, and support—this is explicitly highlighted in the document and PID).
- Strengthen governance, risk and assurance (identify/escalate risks; support consistent approaches where responsibility sits outside IT; maintain public trust).
Contact
North Eastern ICT Partnership 