Manchester launches ‘whole city’ digital strategy

Manchester City Council has outlined four key themes in its new Digital Strategy to 2026: smart people, digital places, future prosperity, and sustainable resilience.

The plan, developed by the council with input from 63 partners, is a vision for the “whole city,” a statement said, incorporating the public, private, voluntary and community sectors, as well as residents.

The smart people pillar focuses on ensuring Manchester’s citizens have the skills and opportunities to access jobs in the growing digital sector – and to access services digitally. The city will work with industry and training providers to deliver skills which are expected to be in demand, including in more specialist sectors.

‘Digital places’ means creating the right network access and digital infrastructure to support growth and innovation in connected ‘digital neighbourhoods’ – and making use of data to support service delivery. The city said it will follow the Eindhoven Principles, developed by the Dutch city, to ensure the use of data and the Internet of Things is underpinned by a clear framework of ethics and social responsibility.

Digital economy

The future prosperity theme is about “enabling the digital economy and ecosystem to grow while improving the connections between businesses and Manchester people”. This includes strengthening existing networks, identifying new potential areas for growth and working with organisations such as Greater Manchester Combined Authority and MIDAS, Manchester’s investment promotion agency, on targeted digital investment.

Finally, work to build sustainable resilience will involve using digital innovations to help meet zero carbon and climate resilience goals. This means looking at how collecting and sharing data around carbon emissions could help reduce them, and how technology can help manage demands on energy – for example, through the increasing use of electric vehicles.

Council Leader Cllr Bev Craig said: “Manchester is the UK’s leading digital city outside London with a fast-growing concentration of innovation, expertise and talent. But we can’t and won’t settle for that. We must build on these strengths to create a digitally inclusive economy where everyone is equipped with the skills and infrastructure needed to share in – and contribute to – success. We must also seize on the potential of technology to help us meet the collective target of Manchester becoming zero carbon by 2038 and to manage the impacts of climate change.

“Our digital aspirations aren’t separate to the wider strategy for a thriving and sustainable city – they are fundamental to it. This new strategy will help power us along that path.”

The council will also look to establish a small digital team to work with key stakeholders to help deliver the strategy.

Image: William McCue on Unsplash