Manchester City Council has revealed a 10 point plan to ensure it is one of the world’ s foremost digital cities by 2020 ‘“ promoting economic growth and ensuring residents have the skills to benefit. The plan will drive the Council’s digital priorities and move the city forward rapidly as an example of best practice.
The key objectives are:
Access and connectivity
- Connected Citizens – to ensure 100 per cent fast broadband coverage and Wi-Fi in all public spaces.
- Connected Businesses – to ensure businesses have access to fast broadband and support with advice or financial assistance to best exploit it.
- Connected Manchester – deliver a more co-ordinated partnership between the public and private sector to promote digital Manchester to attract new business.
Engagement
- Digital Skills – to ensure digital excellence at all ages through quality digital education at all levels to support people in gaining the skills to get future jobs and promote the benefit of 'going digital'.
- Social City – create a digitally embracing City Council by fully utilising digital opportunities; including social media, advanced website and further exploit mobile technologies with content, advertising and apps.
- Digital Reform – encourage and enable more people to become digitally savvy and grow to be self-service customers – increasing their digital potential and helping to deliver efficiencies within the council.
Industry
- Economic Growth – stimulate the creative and digital sector by encouraging investment and increase skill development from an early age to maximise the potential of our home-grown talent.
Place
- Digital Place – the essential link between technology, residents and the city – from advertising and transport information to route finding – the city's physical infrastructure must be inextricably linked to digital technologies.
Leadership
- Digital Investment / Resources – to exploit investment opportunities, both public and private to accelerate our digital ambition.
- Digital Leadership – to achieve a truly digital city by co-ordinating all city strategies from transport and health to education and public services and develop a joined up digital Manchester.
More info
Manchester unveils ambitious plans for a digital city