The City of Edinburgh Council launched the first phase of their ‘smart’ bin roll out this week, in an attempt to reduce overflowing waste in streets and green spaces.
The plan to deliver 11,000 smart bins by the end of next summer has been in the pipeline for several years after the council adopted a digital strategy to become a ‘Smart City’ two years ago.
The government expects to save billions of pounds and improve patient outcomes through digital transformation
A £2bn investment in digitisation is central to cutting costs and increasing access to the National Health Service, according to the government’s latest announcement.
The government’s plan for digital health and social care promises more personalised healthcare and faster access to it. It said digital reforms could save billions of pounds for taxpayers over the next decade, as well as promote economic growth and private investment.
Read more: GB: Government sets NHS digital transformation plan
CityFibre has commenced work on St Helens' digital transformation with a £30 million Full Fibre investment.
Construction of the £30m Borough-wide full fibre network has begun in the Peasley Cross area and is being delivered by O'Connor Utilities Ltd on behalf of CityFibre. The team will use a range of construction methods while working in close partnership with St Helens Borough Council and local communities to deliver a rollout while minimising potential disruption.
Read more: GB: North West England: CityFibre Begins Work On St Helens' Digital Transformation
New report from TechUK argues partnerships between councils and tech provides can help tackle issues such as climate change and the cost of living
The increased cost of living and pressure to cut carbon emissions means it has never been more important for local authorities to develop "smart city capabilities".
That is the central conclusion of a new report from trade association TechUK, titled Demystifying the smart city - working towards better implementation, which urges cities of all sizes to embrace partnership opportunities with technology companies to enable more efficient and innovative delivery of services.
Read more: GB: Local authorities urged to embrace 'smart city capabilities'
‘Digital transformation’ as a concept can seem pretty vague, ranging from the mundane - such as improving the tech abilities of workers – to implementing concepts that were once considered science fiction; such as installing ‘smart bins’ that know when they are full or introducing robot street sweepers.
Countries around the world have built huge economies around their digital sectors, often concentrated in large, global cities such as Hong Kong, San Francisco and London, and Scotland also has grand ambitions to improve the “skills, culture, public sector and inclusive infrastructure” of a “digital nation”.
Read more: GB: Scotland's digital transformation: a process of evolution