DD2547 Digital Transformation 4 Regions project

1.1. The GLA Smart Cities team was part of a successful joint EU funding bid led by Regione Emilia-Romagna (Italy) concerning the Digital Transformation for Regions project. The GLA was approached to join the consortium in May of 2020.

1.2. The project aims to: develop a challenge-based innovation platform enabling AI and big data solutions for the public sector and public services; and facilitate knowledge-sharing and capacity-building among partners in the use of big data and AI. The project is led by Regione Emilia-Romagna, with 14 private and public-sector partners (six regional administrations, two European networks, two regional research and service centres, and two private companies). The project will be based on the real-world needs of this network of regions and will be supported by the technical partners.

1.3. The project will be organised into seven work packages. The GLA will not be responsible for the coordination of any of these packages but will be involved in their delivery. The GLA will provide advice and local knowledge to inform the design of the platform service; and contribute specific city ‘challenges’ that can be shared on the platform. The GLA will also contribute to peer-to-peer knowledge-sharing, and benefit from dedicated capacity-building around the use of AI and big data in public administration. The work packages the GLA will be specifically involved with are:

• WP2: co-design of the platform and its services, including a landscape analysis of big data and AI solutions, models, and data; and the co-design (with stakeholders) of the platform and services

• WP4: mutual learning and capacity-building to develop a knowledge base and offer mutual learning and training activities

• WP5: delivering innovative solutions to share knowledge among stakeholders, and to carry out the development of innovative solutions through hackathons

• WP6: evaluation, exploitation and sustainability to evaluate the take-up and satisfaction of the project platform and services by stakeholders; and to develop a sustainability plan, as well as policy recommendations and lessons learned for the scalability and transferability of project outcomes

• WP7: communication and dissemination to spread information on the aims, features, activities and the results of the project.

1.4. The consortium of partners has secured a total of €1,133,333 (~£965,247) (including €850,000 (~£723,897) of direct EU funds) to deliver this project. The total expenditure by the GLA is expected to be up to €66,661 (~£56,781), of which the GLA is permitted to claim 75 per cent of its costs (€49,995.75 (~£42,851) in direct funding from the EU). An in-kind contribution (in GLA person hours) to the value of up to €16,665.25 (~£14,193) is required as a condition of the funding.

1.5. The award of this funding is timely as it supports London’s next steps in developing smart and digital technology by a systematic, international exploration of the use of AI in the public sector. The project will help our work to foster public trust in emerging technologies through the Emerging Technology Charter, support the increased use of green technologies that are needed to achieve Net Zero, and support open calls for the tech sector to meet the challenges that London and other cities face. It allows the GLA to build connections and learn with and from other cities exploring similar issues regarding AI and new technologies.

1.6. A kick-off meeting is planned for the end of September, where further details about the tasks required to participate in the project will be shared with the GLA.

2.1 The specific objectives of the project are to:

• raise awareness and knowledge about AI and big data applications for public services

• stimulate peer-to-peer knowledge-sharing among regions

• increase and enlarge policy discussions on topics of specific public interest

• serve as a hub for a wide variety of data-related topics, such as open data, smart cities, digital skills

• foster innovation through practical exercises, including two hackathons, based on the concrete needs of public administrations and citizens.

2.2 The wider outcomes from this project are: a better understanding of how AI and big data can be harnessed and used ethically and securely in the delivery of public-sector services; and fostering relationships with key European regions.

3.1. The project aims to address exclusion and equality issues arising from the use of AI and big data – for instance, the perpetuation of inherent racial biases in some large data sets. Involvement in the Digital Transformation for Regions project will enable skill-sharing and collaboration with six EU regions to ensure that the public-sector use of AI and big data meets the requirements of the public sector equality duty. In addition, GLA involvement with the project will be guided by the requirements set out in the Mayor’s Emerging Technology Charter.

3.2. The project will focus on needs, not on technologies – taking a user-centred approach to design and development, with concrete-use cases that address problems identified in the community.

4.1 The project directly contributes to the delivery of the Mayor’s key strategic objectives of the Smarter London Roadmap. This aims to solve London’s challenges by bringing together people, technology and data.

4.2 No personal data will be collected or used as part of this project.

4.3 There are no conflicts of interest in the drafting of this form, nor any others that may undermine the award of this work.

5.1 Approval is sought for receipt and expenditure of income of up to €49,995 of grant funding for the GLA’s participation in the Digital Transformation for Regions project (and staff time in kind).

5.2 Approval is sought for a GLA permanent staff member’s hours, up to the value of €16,665, to be contributed in kind as a condition of the funding.

5.3 The expenditure and income will be funded from the Smart Cities team 2021-22 budget held within the City Intelligence Unit. Funding for future years’ expenditure will be subject to the annual budget-setting process and cannot be guaranteed.

6.1 The foregoing sections of this report indicate that the decisions requested of the 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, conducive or incidental to the promotion of economic development and wealth creation in Greater London; and in formulating the proposals in respect of which a decision is sought, officers have complied 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

• consult with appropriate bodies.

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

6.3 Should the Director be minded to make the decisions sought, officers must ensure that:

• no reliance is placed upon the funding until the lead body and coordinator, Regione Emilia-Romagna and the EU Commission (as applicable), are under a legally binding obligation to provide the funding, the GLA having entered into and executed such agreements as are required in this regard

• to the extent that proposed expenditure concerns the:

o award of grant funding, such funding is awarded on a fair and transparent basis in accordance with the GLA’s Contracts and Funding Code; and appropriate funding agreements are entered into and executed by the GLA and counterparties before commencement of the same

o purchase of works, services or supplies, those works, services or supplies must be procured by Transport for London Procurement in accordance with the GLA’s Contracts and Funding Code; and appropriate contracts must be entered into and executed by the GLA and counterparties before commencement of the same

• they follow all applicable GLA HR procedures and protocols in respect of the staffing elements of the proposals.