Bradford Council has launched an exciting new Digital Strategy, which will help to drive forward the social and economic future of the district.
The 5-year plan sets out how the council aims to develop the digital infrastructure, skills and businesses we need to continue to build a thriving and connected city.
The strategy was launched at the Museum of Science and Media at an event attended by partners from the public, private, and education sectors and included speakers from the museum, the universities of Bradford and Leeds and Microsoft UK.
The strategy sets an ambitious but pragmatic approach to developing Bradford District’s digital capabilities and raising its ambition on digital growth in four key areas.
- Connected District – this will ensure full fibre Gigabit capable connectivity across the District by 2027. This will result in all domestic, business and academic premises across the district having access to affordable gigabit capable connectivity;
- Data-driven decision making – this will help us to harness the power of data, from many sources to support better decision making in operational and service planning;
- Digital economy- a digital economy will help support innovation in our businesses and develop commercial AI solutions;
- Digital inclusion – ensure that all residents have access to a good connection, affordable devices and the skills to use these.
The strategy’s goals will be achieved by working in partnership with all communities, industry and government.
Cllr Alex Ross-Shaw, Bradford Council’s Executive Member for Regeneration, Planning and Transport, said: “The Digital Strategy for 2022-2027 will help our district transition as a community and place into the future where it has integrated the best of digital and smart technologies to improve the lives of the citizens of Bradford District and support the district’s priorities for Clean Growth.
“Digital technology provides an opportunity for a brighter future for Bradford District, helping it to become an innovative and resilient world class leader. It is hoped this strategy provides a coherent framework and a “call to arms” to focus our collective efforts to achieve that aim.”
Glen Robinson, National Technology Officer, Microsoft UK said “Successful digital transformation relies on starting with a small set of tangible use cases where the impact of applying technology is clear. I’m excited to see the impact technology will have for the citizens of Bradford.”
To see the full digital strategy and to download a copy for yourself, visit https://www.bradford.gov.uk/digital-strategy/digital-strategy/
