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 (LGR). The committee approved recommendations for both the Digital Strategy and the LGR data review, and also confirmed the committee's work programme for the upcoming year.

Digital Strategy 2024-2029: First Year Delivery Report

The committee received an update on the first year of Lancashire County Council's Digital Strategy, which aims to close the digital divide, enhance connectivity, and foster innovation. Councillor David Dwyer, Cabinet Member for Data, Technology, Customer and Efficiency, presented the report, highlighting achievements across six key ambitions: building digital partnerships, providing a great resident experience, driving innovation through data and AI, creating technical foundations, building digital skills, and leveraging digital in social care.

Key successes from the first year include:

• Building Digital Partnerships: Over 5,244 residents were supported through digital inclusion initiatives, with 709 devices donated and 1,014 residents receiving free mobile data.
• Enhancing Resident Digital Experience: New services like the Blue Badge application and virtual agents have improved accessibility, with virtual agents handling approximately 4,509 resident queries. Over 120 service forms have been redesigned for a more streamlined access.
• Driving Innovation through Data and AI: A Family Master Data Management solution was launched, alongside an AI ethics framework. Over 40 services participated in data maturity assessments, and 137 staff were trained in data analytics. Generative AI has been rolled out to 10,500 employees, with 1,227 trained on Copilot Web.
• Establishing Technical Foundations: A Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system and a digital front door platform are being developed. Over 70 applications have been removed or consolidated, and 185 legacy servers retired.
• Building Digital Skills and Culture: Over 250 staff have been trained in data analytics, and the council intranet migration to a modern SharePoint platform is over 80% complete.
• Leveraging Digital in Social Care: The Children's Portal handled 6,256 service requests, and smart fall-detection lamps were deployed in 50 care homes.

The report also outlined priorities for the upcoming year, including a greater focus on digital inclusion, redesigning the council's website, streamlining processes through data integration and automation, and enhancing social care innovation. Councillors provided feedback, with Councillor John Potter raising concerns about digital exclusion and the need to involve community centres in digital inclusion efforts. Councillor Aidy Riggott highlighted the importance of understanding the lessons learned from AI deployment and ensuring councillors are kept informed. The committee approved recommendations to monitor the strategy's implementation and provide feedback on future priorities.

The Data for Local Government Reorganisation (LGR)

The committee also considered the data sets informing proposals for Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) in Lancashire. Councillor Simon Gummer, Deputy Leader of the Council, presented the report, explaining that the government is proposing a move to a single tier of unitary local government across Lancashire, replacing the current district and county council structure.

The data presented covered various aspects, including:

• Population and Demographics: Current and projected population figures, life expectancy, and demographic changes.
• Deprivation and Social Mobility: Analysis of deprivation levels, social mobility, and access to internet and phone services.
• Children, Young People and Families: Demand for social care, educational attainment, and SEND services.
• Adult Social Care and Health: Current and projected demand, care home locations, and public health data.
• Housing and Homelessness: Rental market analysis, social housing, and homelessness assessments.
• Finance and Operations: Current financial positions of Lancashire councils, shared services, and ICT systems.
• Waste, Recycling and Environment: Waste collection models, recycling rates, and environmental data.
• Libraries, Leisure and Culture: Data on libraries, parks, and cultural destinations.
• Highways, Transport and Travel: Road conditions, travel times, and public transport usage.

The report highlighted that resident surveys indicated a preference for retaining existing local councils over larger unitary authorities, with concerns about loss of identity and service reliability. Stakeholder engagement revealed cautious support for LGR but also concerns from town and parish councils about their voices being lost. A balance analysis indicated potential disparities between new authorities in terms of opportunity and need. Financial analysis is ongoing, but the data suggests that both two and three unitary authority models are feasible, with two unitaries potentially offering greater financial sustainability.

Councillors raised several points, including concerns about the potential loss of local identity and representation, the impact on council tax, and the need for robust democratic accountability within any new structure. Councillor Gummer emphasised that LGR is government policy and that the council is taking a data-driven approach to inform its proposals. The committee approved recommendations to consider the data sets and ensure proposals are evidence-based.

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

The committee reviewed and confirmed its work programme for the 2025/26 municipal year. The programme includes planned scrutiny activities focusing on cultural services, community services, crime and disorder, and corporate services, including digital services and customer access. An in-year request to add the Lancashire County Council Improvement Plan 2025–2027 to the work programme was also considered and approved.

The next meeting of the committee is scheduled for 12 February 2026.