Digital Skills: Upskilling staff and the public William Benson Chief Executive Tunbridge Wells Borough Council

Why do digital? Business as usual is no longer an option Ongoing budget cuts Population increasing and ageing Digital natives turning 18 Customers have high expectations for digital services To encourage self service and manage demand More efficient use of resources to move to digital channels

15p *Source: SOCITM Cost to Serve and BDO guidance

Public sector digital agenda Digital is not a ‘bolt-on’ on or a ‘nice to have’ it is part of everything We must have more and better digital services that customers want to use - self service Not about digital challenges but digital solutions to the challenges we are facing Redesign our operating models to meet the current and future needs of our customers Rethink everything we do, reducing bureaucracy and placing users at the centre Tackling back office systems as well as front end, to enable the new operating model New ways of working - agile approaches, collaborating and sharing learning

Inspiring and empowering staff to develop and deliver digital services Redesign services to benefit our customers Integral part of our 5 year plan Digital objectives Staff briefings Tech Day 12 Days of Digital Digital Angels

Inspiring and empowering staff to develop and deliver digital services Working in Partnership across Kent Buy in from Kent Chief Executives Jointly funded a team to provide skills and expertise working with authorities Sharing best practice, industry knowledge and practical insights

Inspiring and empowering the public to use digital services Building up digital capabilities to use council services - good for us and good for residents Assisted help at the Gateways Free events / training As well as simply having better online services we are encouraging channel shift and behaviour change through better communications, incentives, advertising

Proud of what we have done, but still a way to go Inspiring, empowering and upskilling staff and the public is vital

Get in touch….. Kent Channel Migration Project