London's recovery starts with you
Stage: ClosedTo recover from the economic, social and health impact caused by the pandemic, City Hall has set out a missions-based approach. This will bring together the public, private and voluntary sectors, and involves working with all Londoners to make it a success.
Closed
618 Londoners have responded | 07/08/2020 - 01/10/2020
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Discussions
When the lockdown was introduced in March, many Londoners had to move their work, learning, recreation, shopping and support services online. Many people don't have a quiet space at home to work or lack the devices, skills and digital connectivity to get online. It is forecast that in the next 20 years, 90% of all jobs will require some form of digital knowledge. However, 18% of Londoners lack one or more basic digital skills, and large areas of London currently don’t have full fibre connections to homes. Read more about the context for this mission.
Mission: “Every Londoner to have access to connectivity, basic digital skills and digital employment opportunities and support by 2025.”
We’ll need to work together to:
- Short term - develop a detailed picture of digital exclusion through the pandemic and to identify people in need of devices, skills and connectivity
- Medium term - increase digital skills through training and fill gaps in 4G and 5G provision
- Long term – support Londoners to develop the skills to enter the tech sector and improve digital leadership
Areas of focus might include:
- Improving full fibre coverage for faster internet speeds
- Preparing for 5G
- Providing training and skills to support Londoners to access to online services and tech jobs
What do you think of this mission? Is there anything critical to London’s recovery missing from this mission? What does this mean for you personally and your community? What actions or interventions would have the most impact? How will we know that we’ve succeeded? Who has a role to play to meet this challenge?
Summary
Thanks everyone for sharing your views and personal experience in this discussion on digital access. The policy and recovery teams have been thinking about how they can amend these missions to be more specific and time-bound, but still bold, ambitious and realistic.
Part of making these missions more specific involves acknowledging that we can't do everything through the recovery programme. That doesn’t mean that if something isn’t a mission it isn’t important. City Hall and London Councils will continue to work on areas that aren’t missions but are important to recovery.
The recovery team and policy teams have used your feedback to refine this mission to Every Londoner to have good connectivity, basic digital skills and access to the device or support they need to be online by 2025.
Here are some proposals below for how we might achieve this mission:
- understand how digital exclusion impacted Londoners during the crisis and what steps councils and the voluntary and community sector are taking to address this locally
- improve full fibre coverage, identify and eliminate not-spots starting with social housing
- identify free Wifi zones across London, making it easier for Londoners to get online for free outside of their homes.
- ensure all adults with low or no digital skills have basic digital skills training
- develop a device/data offer for those most in need, starting with schoolchildren, learners and those shielding.
What other ideas do you have that might help to achieve this mission? And who has a role to play to meet this challenge? What would have the most impact for you?
The discussion ran from 07 August 2020 - 01 October 2020
Closed
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Community Member 3 years agoWell, it doesn't go together with closing libraries...
David H
Community Member 3 years agoThe priority here should be fibre, 5G is totally unnecessary in urban areas and true fibre speeds are far in excess of 5G.
The mobile companies are pursuing a policy to pack more and more 20m masts on as many street corners as they can get...
Show full commentThe priority here should be fibre, 5G is totally unnecessary in urban areas and true fibre speeds are far in excess of 5G.
The mobile companies are pursuing a policy to pack more and more 20m masts on as many street corners as they can get away with, totally ruining the outlook on many streets.
To see a beautiful tree lined avenue despoiled by these hideous masts should be stopped immediately.
They have recently appealed a planning refusal of a mast near me, to the inspectorate where the site is on the grass verge with 9 large cabinets in front of the lounge window of a resident's house.
Totally disgusting behavior by these companies.
The loop hole in the regulations that means that on a highway land site the mobile company pays no rent (while on a rooftop or other location rent has to be paid for the site) should be addressed to give a level playing field and so take away the incentive to ruin the vista at many street locations.
Show less of commentnignaten
Community Member 3 years ago100% agree on improving coverage of fibre. Our building can only get super slow broadband, which does not even meet the minimum speed promised by the providers. We are also in a wireless coverage dark zone, so we have no other options...
Show full comment100% agree on improving coverage of fibre. Our building can only get super slow broadband, which does not even meet the minimum speed promised by the providers. We are also in a wireless coverage dark zone, so we have no other options. Working from home with this internet has been uncomfortable.
Show less of commenttamaragalloway
Community Member 3 years agoFull fibre optic coverage and the ‘way-leave’ issue is the most important one to resolve. Mobile connections are less stable, less secure and many people are concerned about the health effects of these, especially of 5G.
Adverts on how to...
Show full commentFull fibre optic coverage and the ‘way-leave’ issue is the most important one to resolve. Mobile connections are less stable, less secure and many people are concerned about the health effects of these, especially of 5G.
Adverts on how to avoid online scams are really important as well.
I agree that non-digital options need to be available too, for example telephone helplines with real people on the other end!
Show less of commentlilacgirl
Community Member 3 years agoThose of us living in flats which I understand is around 50% of the population have been severely let down by Open Reach! Despite having a near monopoly on fibre installation iin the capital it transpires that without any communication to...
Show full commentThose of us living in flats which I understand is around 50% of the population have been severely let down by Open Reach! Despite having a near monopoly on fibre installation iin the capital it transpires that without any communication to those affected they decided not to include what they refer to MDU's (multiple dwelling units - ie purpose built flats or house conversions) in their fibre rollouts. After hearing of a nearby neighbour getting fibre I raised this issue with Open Reach who took over 3 months and several chasers to finally respond admitting this was a commercial decision. So when they release details of how many exchanges have fibre capability this is not an accurate description of how many of the population have been excluded. This is discrimination and should not have been allowed to happen.
Show less of commentmwillbold
Community Member 3 years agoMany cities I have travelled to have open WiFi Hotspots so everyone can access the Internet if required.
London could offer public co-working hubs similar to libraries, but for people of all ages to access the Internet, use digital devices...
Show full commentMany cities I have travelled to have open WiFi Hotspots so everyone can access the Internet if required.
London could offer public co-working hubs similar to libraries, but for people of all ages to access the Internet, use digital devices and access learning digital skills. These hubs could hire trainers or offer assistance with online learning.
If many Office spaces remain unused post pandemic such buildings could be used or at least the inner city needs to rethink how to make inner London attractive and accessible in the future. I can picture co-working and co-learning communities where local authorities, employers and educational institutions work together, and also involving the hospitality sector.
Show less of commentviahaalshah10
Community Member 3 years agoLondon needs to move away from the model of jobs in Central london and accommodation outside. The growth of digital technology and resources mean that jobs and accommodation should be spread out across all London boroughs, and therefore...
Show full commentLondon needs to move away from the model of jobs in Central london and accommodation outside. The growth of digital technology and resources mean that jobs and accommodation should be spread out across all London boroughs, and therefore saving people from commuting for hours on end. This means that the technology infrastructure needs to be designed with this in mind. Maybe create different zones - eg media zone, gaming zone, fintech zone, and have this spread outside zone 1.
Show less of commentNgb.booth
Community Member 3 years agoWe need to reverse the closure of libraries across the capital, reopen those that were closed (not necessarily in the same place, but to ensure that the provision is there for everyone in London to access a local library within walking...
Show full commentWe need to reverse the closure of libraries across the capital, reopen those that were closed (not necessarily in the same place, but to ensure that the provision is there for everyone in London to access a local library within walking distance of their home) and then ensure that all libraries have a decent stock of books and wifi access. Ideally, each library can also then be a hub for offering education/training opportunities to all Londoners - particularly with regard to retraining people into sustainable green jobs for the future.
Show less of commentMEHbirdsFT
Community Member 3 years agoWholeheartedly support need for local library access as described here.
deepfacto
Community Member 3 years agoWork with Telecom and Internet Service Providers to agree to a common minimum service guarantee. That should include speed, reliability and affordability of high speed internet. Even in emerging markets like India, Nigeria or Brazil, faster...
Show full commentWork with Telecom and Internet Service Providers to agree to a common minimum service guarantee. That should include speed, reliability and affordability of high speed internet. Even in emerging markets like India, Nigeria or Brazil, faster internet than UK is more affordable and accessible widely.
Have a program to encourage all local businesses to get online. Today the biggest hurdle for small local businesses is the lack of skills regarding the digital world. Partner with Tech companies to drive scale on this program.
Have a structured digitisation effort for all govt departments.
pailondonorguk
Community Member 3 years agoThis copy is a result of Positive Ageing in London's conference feedback:
Our aims
To ensure older people do not suffer from being unable to engage online and to improve the rates of older people being connected digitally
The challenges...
Show full commentThis copy is a result of Positive Ageing in London's conference feedback:
Our aims
To ensure older people do not suffer from being unable to engage online and to improve the rates of older people being connected digitally
The challenges
The pandemic has vividly illustrated the plight of those who are not able to engage online and therefore excluded from vital information, social connections, and ability to do transactions and apply for jobs. There are mixed reasons for the lack of engagement – the lack of resources, fear of technology, and lack of skills
How to get there
Continue to ensure that those who do not have online access received printed information about core information and services
Ensure shops and public services have efficient phone systems to ensure people can ring with queries or to book services
Local authorities to identify those who are digitally excluded which is causing problems and the barriers
Provision of free Wi-Fi to those older people in need
Provision of pay as you go handsets and tablets for those who do not have equipment
Use mutual-aid hubs to act as digital befriending services to help older people get online
Show less of commentJbee
Community Member 3 years agoA group I belong to 'Sewn Together', started off a face-to-face course in February 2020 before Covid-19. The facilitators swiftly moved the course online at the beginning of lockdown. They have been fantastic. Problems faced for some of the...
Show full commentA group I belong to 'Sewn Together', started off a face-to-face course in February 2020 before Covid-19. The facilitators swiftly moved the course online at the beginning of lockdown. They have been fantastic. Problems faced for some of the other participants: not having a suitable device a tablet or a laptop, not having training how to use Zoom, Isolation without the means to stay connected not just digitally. Haringey is a large borough we need to connect more facilities and initiatives so that the plan to ensure everyone has a means to be online by 2025. We need to have more training opportunities for those that are not digitally apt, we need more paid opportunities for those that can share their skills to train them, to combat this shortfall, we also need to have more transparency of how to access refurbished devices and greater cost-effective internet availability.
Show less of commentWiseOwl
Community Member 3 years agoOur work with older Londoners at Positive Ageing in London included a meeting with over 70 older people before the Covid outbreak. At the end of the conference there were focus groups which discussed the issues surrounding digitalisation as...
Show full commentOur work with older Londoners at Positive Ageing in London included a meeting with over 70 older people before the Covid outbreak. At the end of the conference there were focus groups which discussed the issues surrounding digitalisation as it affects older people. These relate to both those older people ( especially poorer and very old and care home residents) who need support and training in using IT and that there should be a training the trainers programme for those dealing with older people ( care home workers, housing association and community centre workers) so that they can offer 'silver surfer style support and training.
In addition there needs to be greater recognition that for many older and poorer people online and digital communications will exclude them and there must be more information offered by phone lines which are actually in operation , plus more written material distributed to older and vulnerable people's homes as well as greater use of community radio and community TV
Show less of commentPositive Agein…
Community Member 3 years agoCOVID has vividly illustrated the plight of older people who are not able to engage online and therefore excluded from vital information, social connections, and ability to do transactions and apply for jobs. There are mixed reasons for the...
Show full commentCOVID has vividly illustrated the plight of older people who are not able to engage online and therefore excluded from vital information, social connections, and ability to do transactions and apply for jobs. There are mixed reasons for the lack of engagement – the lack of resources, fear of technology, and lack of skills
Immediate actions required are:
1. Continue to ensure that those who do not have online access received printed information about core information and services
2. Ensure shops and public services have efficient phone systems to ensure people can ring with queries or to book services
3. Local authorities to identify those who are digitally excluded which is causing problems and the barriers
4. Provision of free Wi-Fi to those older people in need and training support
5. Provision of pay as you go handsets and tablets for those who do not have equipment
6. Use mutual aid hubs to act as digital befriending service to help those older people get online
Show less of commentMer-IT
Community Member 3 years agoThe lack of devices is a real issue, not just because most services have moved online, but because a mobile device is simply not enough to take full advantage of the Internet. Most young people or the unemployed are just on a mobile phone...
Show full commentThe lack of devices is a real issue, not just because most services have moved online, but because a mobile device is simply not enough to take full advantage of the Internet. Most young people or the unemployed are just on a mobile phone. It is not just the elderly or disable who need help.
We would like to see an initiative that is considerate with the environment. A provision of training hubs, for people of all ages and abilities where equipment can be refurbished and distribute for free or at a low rate, will be ideal.
Moorecop
Community Member 3 years agoThere is a large group of older people who, with the best will and effort, will never join the digital age for many reasons. They are therefore excluded from too many aspects of what is becoming day to day life. The pandemic has highlighted...
Show full commentThere is a large group of older people who, with the best will and effort, will never join the digital age for many reasons. They are therefore excluded from too many aspects of what is becoming day to day life. The pandemic has highlighted this with people unable to order food online, keep up with latest information and guidelines,participate in online medical assistance or even enjoy video calling with friends and family..Of course neighbours helped but are now back working so can only offer limited assistance.
This government has banned regular local authority newspapers that were a lifeline for older and other vulnerable people and this decision should be overturned.
Show less of commentLondoner1
Community Member 3 years agoHaving read some of the comments I think we are missing the point: A lot of Londoners live in flats and to install fibre connections a legal document called a "way-leave" needs to be established. For this to happen both the Landlord and...
Show full commentHaving read some of the comments I think we are missing the point: A lot of Londoners live in flats and to install fibre connections a legal document called a "way-leave" needs to be established. For this to happen both the Landlord and OpenReach need to sign and Landlords are not signing... This is a stumbling block which needs to be standardised to be removed, try and speak with OpenReach (if that's possible) and you will see that is where the effort needs to be concentrated if this mission statement is ever going to be achievable...!
Show less of commentTalk London
Official Representative 3 years agoThanks everyone for sharing your views and personal experience in this discussion on digital access. The policy and recovery teams have been thinking about how they can amend these missions to be more specific and time-bound, but still bold, ambitious and realistic.
Part of making these missions more specific involves acknowledging that we can't do everything through the recovery programme. That doesn’t mean that if something isn’t a mission it isn’t important. City Hall and London Councils will continue to work on areas that aren’t missions but are important to recovery.
The recovery team and policy teams have used your feedback to refine this mission to Every Londoner to have good connectivity, basic digital skills and access to the device or support they need to be online by 2025.
Here are some proposals for how we might achieve this mission:
- understand how digital exclusion impacted Londoners during the crisis and what steps councils and the voluntary and community sector are taking to address this locally
- improve full fibre coverage, identify and eliminate not-spots starting with social housing
- identify free Wifi zones across London, making it easier for Londoners to get online for free outside of their homes
- ensure all adults with low or no digital skills have basic digital skills training
- develop a device/data offer for those most in need, starting with schoolchildren, learners and those shielding
What other ideas do you have that might help to achieve this mission? And who has a role to play to meet this challenge? What would have the most impact for you?
IMHsw20
Community Member 3 years agoThe focus needs to be on the people who are not digitally savy. For example the people of the older generations who are not computer literate.
There is also the group who have stayed home to raise children and are not computer savy.
I...
Show full commentThe focus needs to be on the people who are not digitally savy. For example the people of the older generations who are not computer literate.
There is also the group who have stayed home to raise children and are not computer savy.
I know many people in their 50's and older who have not embraced smart phones. This needs to be addressed before we can move forward.
These people need to be convinced the technology is safe. i.e. safe from scammers, hacking etc. as they are suspicious of new tech.
Show less of commentLondonproud
Community Member 3 years agoIt is time to get out of the house not fond ever more reasons to encourage and prolong this (in)voluntary house arrest and 'new normal
LondonBee
Community Member 3 years agoYes, WIFI access is important, but for many people digital access is prevented by a lack of hardware. There are some good examples of small scale community projects that aim to address the shortfall, such as providing refurbished laptops...
Show full commentYes, WIFI access is important, but for many people digital access is prevented by a lack of hardware. There are some good examples of small scale community projects that aim to address the shortfall, such as providing refurbished laptops/PCs to households without them, but the numbers are sadly insufficient to meet the need. One solution would be for a larger scale programme of this kind coordinated by the Mayor's office that runs across all boroughs. Or better still, to establish a partnership with hardware manufacturers to provide new, low-cost tablets and laptops to households that can't currently afford them, but need them for school learning, working from home and the myriad of other functions that online access provides in this digital age.
Show less of comment