DD2491 Royal Docks Digital Strategy Workstream Funding

The Royal Docks is one of London’s most distinctive economic locations and largest regeneration projects, with the potential to deliver 60,000 jobs and over 25,000 homes over the next 20 years. The Mayor of London and the Mayor of Newham are jointly leading the regeneration of the area through its Enterprise Zone status, which is funded through the ringfencing of business rate income collected within the zone.

MD2338 approved expenditure of up to £212.5m for the Royal Docks EZ Delivery Plan to deliver an integrated and catalytic package of transport infrastructure, connectivity, economic development, placemaking, estate management and creative programming projects that will deliver the cohesive transformation of the Royal Docks and accelerate delivery. This consists of a £155m capital and £57.5m revenue split to fund projects for the five-year delivery period from 2018/19 to 2022/23.

The Enterprise Zone needs to provide the best possible digital connectivity to attract and retain businesses. The redevelopment of the sites across the Royal Docks will increase the demand for digital services and this will require significant improvement to the current infrastructure and coverage. Much of the investment in that new capacity could and should come from the private sector but it is important that there is a clear focus on ensuring that there is clarity over information and processes to achieve that outcome.

MD2338 included approved expenditure of £70,000 on consultant fees to support delivery of a Digital Strategy for the Royal Docks. Arcadis were appointed in 2019 and the Digital Strategy was completed in February 2020.

The report sets out fifteen recommendations, the majority focused on the Royal Docks Team providing a coordination role to support delivery of the Digital Strategy through key stakeholders. A summary of these recommendations is set out at Annex 1. The Royal Docks Team has developed the recommendations into a programme structure, set out at Annex 2. This has been tested with the Connected London Team and the London Borough of Newham. The next steps will be managed by the Royal Docks Team with input from Arcadis and other specialist consultants who will be procured via TfL’s panel frameworks.

Some works to support collaboration to achieve the outcomes of the Digital Strategy have also commenced, including (i) engagement of industry in the development and delivery of public realm works to ensure early integration of digital requirements and (ii) preparation for an engagement event that will bring together all key stakeholders to set out the programme of works.

However, some of the recommendations require additional investment in the short term. This will take the form of further work undertaken by consultants. Those which are on the critical path in helping to further our engagement with stakeholders and form the basis of this request are as follows.

a) The delivery of a single database for current fixed and mobile connectivity that can be shared with key stakeholders, consolidating information currently held across a number of different platforms and which is not necessarily easily accessible to all parties. This is a technical piece of work for which specialist consultants will be appointed.

b) Development of a modelling tool of future mobile demand requirements across the Royal Docks to assist operators and developers to create appropriate mobile connectivity strategies. Mobile coverage in the Royal Docks is rated as ‘good’ but this is due to a lack of demand rather than supply. Some developers are therefore unaware of the potential challenges going forward as a consequence of the significant future growth scenario. This will be undertaken by technical consultants.

c) Development of an Internet of Things platform in partnership with learning institutions in the Royal Docks to provide an opportunity for promoting smart technologies. This can help underpin an agenda of sustainability and could support the digital curriculum of key stakeholders in the Royal Docks such as the University of East London. The Royal Docks Team will work with UEL and Arcadis to deliver this.

Modelling of future mobile requirements as set out in (b) above has commenced under existing budgets approved under MD2338. However, further investment is required to ensure that this is further refined and tested. It is recommended that a further £80,000 is committed from the Royal Docks Delivery Plan budget to support these three workstreams and further the delivery of the Digital Strategy. This financial estimate is based on current forecasts produced as part of the Royal Docks Delivery Plan and has been tested with the market.

Further funding may be required for future workstreams as the recommendations of the Digital Strategy are developed in partnership with stakeholders. The Royal Docks Delivery Plan earmarked additional investment that may be used to support further work as required.

The outcomes achieved from these works will be as follows:

• Information on current fixed and mobile connectivity is not held in one place. By creating a single database that is coordinated and updated by one party, it will allow for well-founded decisions in respect of future investment and connectivity needs.
• The design and build of a future demand model will be shared with operators and developers and this will help them to plan more effectively for the delivery of mobile infrastructure requirements for the future, helping to drive early investment and avoid a lag in delivery.
• The creation of an Internet of Things will help to drive smart initiatives in the Royal Docks, with potential for such matters as smart lighting, environmental sensors or the creation of an intelligent movement network. This could be provided on an open source basis, thereby driving digital innovation.

Under section 149 of the Equality Act 2010 (the “Equality Act”), as a public authority, the GLA must have ‘due regard’ to the need to:

• eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation; and
• advance equality of opportunity and foster good relations between people who share a protected characteristic and those who do not.

The proposed improvements to the digital environment are not expected to have any undue negative impact on those with protected characteristics. It will however seek to improve digital connectivity across the Royal Docks that will not only benefit businesses but also local residents, including those where there may be barriers to digital inclusion through a lack of appropriate infrastructure. Examples of this are seen in the Digital Strategy, such as the potential to extend fibre connectivity into some affordable housing schemes.

The key risks associated with this approval and their mitigation are as follows:

• Incorrect procurement of services – The Royal Docks Team are working closely with TfL Procurement to utilise existing OJEU compliant panel frameworks.
• Cost control – The current budgets are based on estimates produced as part of the Royal Docks Delivery Plan with contingency included. These have been tested with the market. Procurement will ensure that best value is achieved.

These workstreams are derived from the recommendations of the Royal Docks Digital Strategy. This was the subject of extensive engagement with industry and local stakeholders. Further, ongoing consultation and engagement will take place as the recommendations of the Digital Strategy are implemented. The outputs from the works that are the subject of this decision form will also support robust and integrated consultation and engagement in future.

The works will support the implementation of a number of the Mayor’s policies such as the London Plan, A City for All Londoners, Digital Access for all and Connected London.

There are no conflicts of interest to declare for the officers involved in the drafting or clearance of this Decision Form.

This decision requests approval for funding of up to a total of £80,000 revenue expenditure in 2020-21 to deliver three early workstreams to support further development and implementation of the Royal Docks Digital Strategy.

This expenditure will be funded from within the £212.5 million approved delivery plan budget confirmed in MD2338 and the costs will be incurred in 2020/2021.

The foregoing sections of this report indicate that the decisions requested of the Interim Deputy Executive Director concern the exercise of the GLA’s general powers, falling within the GLA’s statutory powers to do such things considered to further or which are facilitative of, conductive or incidental to the promotion of economic development and wealth creation, social development or the promotion of the improvement of the environment, in Greater London.

In implementing the proposals in respect of which a decision is sought, officers should comply with the GLA’s related statutory duties to:

• pay due regard to the principle that there should be equality of opportunity for all people;
• consider how the proposals will promote the improvement of health of persons, health inequalities between persons and to contribute towards the achievement of sustainable development in the United Kingdom; and
• consult with appropriate bodies.

In taking the decisions requested, the Interim Deputy Executive Director must have due regard to the Public Sector Equality Duty under section 149 of the Equality Act 2010, namely the need to eliminate discrimination, harassment, victimisation and any other conduct prohibited by the Equality Act 2010, to advance equality of opportunity between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic (age, disability, gender reassignment, pregnancy and maternity, race, gender, religion or belief, sexual orientation) and to foster good relations between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic and persons who do not share it. To this end, the Interim Deputy Executive Director should have particular regard to section 3 (above) of this report.

Section 1 of this report indicates that the GLA intends to procure services. Section 9 of the GLA Contracts & Funding Code requires the GLA to engage with TfL Procurement and seek a call-off from a suitable framework where possible before the commencement of the services.