Issue - meetings

Finance, Qualis Client and Economic Development (C-008-2021-22) - The DIZ Annual Progress Report sets out the partnership’s work programme over the last twelve months, highlighting key achievements and challenges, as well as initiating a discussion on future priorities.

(1)        The Cabinet received and commented on the Annual Progress report of the Essex & Herts Digital Innovation Zone; and

(2)        Provided guidance on the district’s longer-term digital ambition around place-making.

The Finance, Qualis Client and Economic Development Portfolio Holder introduced the Digital Innovation Zone (DIZ) annual report.

It was noted that the award-winning Essex & Herts Digital Innovation Zone (DIZ) was established by Epping Forest DC and was supported and led by EFDC officers and members. The key roles of the DIZ was to make this area the best connected place of its type in the UK, attract and deploy investment in digital infrastructure from the public and private sectors and to encourage that the greatest value was derived from this investment through using it to allow: more flexible business activity, increased community engagement and skills and knowledge sharing, and specific purposes such as the GP practices and Hospitals being better connected.

The DIZ Annual Progress Report set out the partnership’s work programme over the twelve months, April 2020 to March 2021, highlighting key achievements and challenges, as well as initiating a discussion on future priorities.

Councillor Lion noted that the DIZ had been set up following the delivery of the  Broadband Rural Challenge Programme. The intention was to make Epping Forest the best connected District in the UK. There were now 5 District Councils and 2 County Councils involved in the DIZ, attending monthly meetings to receive updates and get involved. He went on to thank Mike Warr and John Houston for their hard work and the tremendous amount of background work carried out in setting this up. When we started, we were told by the big operators that we were too small as a District Council, so we eventually established 5 districts, 3 in Essex and 2 in Hertfordshire. And since, we have been very successful in getting a number of projects off the ground, including providing full broadband services to GPs. It’s been a real innovation and made a substantial difference to Epping Forest.

Councillor C Whitbread echoed the thanks to the officers concerned.

Councillor Bedford commented that he had attended a meeting at Whipps Cross and noted that following the Covid situation, Whipps Cross Hospital were looking to move to virtual outpatients appointments and hopefully we could mirror that with our new hospital; also they made a statement that they hoped to be the most digitally advance hospital in the country and he hoped we could match that and if possible improve on it. Councillor Philip added that clearly Health was an important part of this scheme and he noted that we had over 80% of our premises covered by gigabit broadband. That made us a leader in Essex.

Councillor Patel welcomed the support we were giving our partners, especially the GPs. He went on to ask at what point were we going to commercialise this and make money for the council. Councillor Lion noted that the DIZ was set up to reflect the Princess Alexandra Hospital footprint to manage and improve the digital services from a digital NHS point of view. We were now the first in the country to do so and were being studied  ...  view the full minutes text for item 21