AI could play a leading role in the future of Somerset Council as approval was gained for plans to invest in improved data and artificial intelligence to help provide better services and reduce costs have been approved.

Somerset Council’s executive agreed to invest £1.56-million in digital innovations as part of its ongoing Inspiring Innovation transformation programme.

The investment will predominantly fund the expansion the council’s ‘AI and Data Team’ by creating 15 new roles, providing local employment opportunities in this growing sector and strengthening the council’s ability to make the most of the opportunities provided by better use of data and AI.

One of the key initiatives under these proposals it to create trusted ‘single views’ of residents.

In setting out the aims of the project ahead of the meeting, a council spokesperson wrote: “By joining up information across services and partners and providing trusted “single views,” predictive insight and carefully governed AI that supports staff, it will help the council target help earlier, simplify processes and remove duplication.

“For residents and communities, that means faster, more coordinated support and fewer avoidable contacts. It means clearer, timelier decisions, better transparency reporting and a more resilient council.

“Overall, the programme is designed to reduce cost growth and deliver efficiencies that can be reinvested in frontline priorities.”

Improving data and AI will be a key enabler for the council’s Inspiring Innovation Transformation Programme. This programme will build on the work the Council has undertaken over the past five years, including the creation of Transform Family View, which brings together safeguarding information from Somerset Council, schools and partner organisations, helping professionals to better understand and respond to the needs of children and young people.

Initial work has identified that improved use of data in areas ranging from employment and debt collection to health and domestic abuse could help the Council detect individuals and families at risk of homelessness much earlier. This would then enable targeted support to be put in place sooner. Estimates suggest that this could prevent up to 256 families being made homeless each year.

Cllr Theo Butt Philip, lead member for transformation, human resources and localities, said: “With demand and costs for services continuing to rise, we know we need to radically rethink how we operate to put more focus on prevention.

“This investment will act as a key enabler for our transformation programme, providing much improved data and linking with the latest in artificial intelligence to help us do things differently and do things better.

“This is a long-term investment to build capability across the whole Council, to help us to make the most of the opportunities provided by better use of data and AI, enabling us to deliver better outcomes for the people and communities of Somerset.”

The investment in this programme will be funded by capital funding already set aside for transformation work – this is one-off funding which cannot be used to pay for everyday services or running costs.