The National Association of Local Councils (NALC) held an online event on artificial intelligence (AI) on 24 July 2024 that discussed the potential use of AI in local government and AI policy considerations.
The expert panel featured Jenny McEneaney, senior improvement policy advisor on cyber, digital and technology for the Local Government Association (LGA), and Steve Walker, head of local government at the Cloudy Group.
Jenny McEneaney delved into the LGA's survey on councils' current use of AI capabilities, their AI network, with over 400 councillors, and their groundbreaking AI report. The report is being used to develop a series of policy responses and a request for a local government centre for digital technology. Stressing the importance of local government being considered in AI policy, she stated, "Local government is a vital part of the broader public sector, innovation ecosystem, so local government needs must be factored in. There is a digital divide within the sector. Emerging technology can often perpetuate that digital divide, so resources must go where they are needed most, not just to councils that are more mature in the AI space. This is what we are calling for through the local government centre for digital technology."
Steve Walker discussed how AI can significantly aid local (parish and town) councils by streamlining various tasks. He highlighted AI's ability to retrieve and summarise information, draft meeting minutes, create surveys, and generate quick responses. AI excels in analysing large data sets, producing reports, and enhancing policy documents with current best practices. Walker emphasised AI's utility in meeting preparation, such as building presentations and analysing survey feedback. He noted that Cloudy Group is developing bots specifically for the sector to enhance efficiency further. He also highlighted the importance of councils getting their data in shape before using AI, commenting, "Councils are very data rich, but it is about ensuring the data is ready for when you want to use AI on data. If you have sensitive data, make sure it has been identified and kept away".