Agenda item

On a motion from Councillor Mark Elliot, seconded by Councillor Grant Johnson, it was

RESOLVED that

This Council Notes that:

1. The use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is increasing rapidly, bringing significant benefits and opportunities for public good, as well as challenges that must be managed responsibly.
2. The UK’s leadership in digital infrastructure – including data-centre growth – positions us at the forefront of the global technology economy
   1. The UK may already be the third-largest host for data centres, behind the US and Germany.^[1]
3. The government has designated data centres as critical national infrastructure, recognising their importance to the UK’s economic future.  While energy use is a factor, AI and digitalisation have the potential to drive energy efficiency, decarbonise industry, and support the transition to net zero, helping reduce long-term energy costs for households and businesses alike.
4. Innovation across the sector is reducing environmental impacts through renewable power sourcing, circular cooling, and waste-heat recovery systems, showing that digital transformation and sustainability can go hand in hand.
5. While some have raised concerns about over-reliance on automation, evidence increasingly shows that AI can enhance human decision-making, improve learning outcomes, and free people from repetitive work, allowing more creative, empathetic and community-focused tasks.
6. Local councils across the UK are successfully deploying AI tools aimed at streamlining tasks, for example in the planning process and social care, including note-taking.^[2]
7. The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology stated the technology could accelerate post committee meeting tasks, allowing officers to focus on the task at hand rather than paperwork. Early trials in central government show that officials saved on average, one hour of admin per one-hour meeting.^[3] This demonstrates how AI can directly improve public-service productivity and free capacity for front-line delivery.

8. Bath and North East Somerset has introduced the following AI:^[4]
   1. Microsoft Copilot: To assist in various administrative functions, speeding up repetitive or time-consuming manual tasks.
   2. Magicnotes: Utilised specifically within social care, Magicnotes aids in transcribing and then producing high-quality summaries of a wide range of meeting types.
   3. Zoom: Used for telephony and supporting our contact centre teams. It includes call transcription capabilities that use AI to help summarise calls for staff.

These examples show that the Council is already adopting AI in a careful, transparent, and effective way that improves staff efficiency and service quality to local residents.

9. Bath and North East Somerset allocated £65,000 in the 2025/2026 budget for Artificial Intelligence (AI) investment aimed at improving resident facing services.[5]
10. The Digital Strategy 2023 states that the council will use data and intelligence to inform transparent decision making, including a defined and applied framework for the ethical and secure use of data, including leveraging new data technologies such as AI.^[6]
11. None of your personal data is used by the AI technology provider to improve their AI products, other than specific improvements local to B&NES council's implementation, and all data is stored and processed in either the UK or EU.
12. AI tools are not employed in the decision-making process and all decision making is made by Council officers;^[7]
13. AI-produced content undergoes review by a Council officer before being used further.^[8] These safeguards demonstrate the Council’s responsible approach to innovation which keeps human accountability at the centre of all technological progress.
14. B&NES has internal policies on Use of Generative AI^[9] (which will be reviewed and updated early next year) and Data & Research Ethics^[10], as well as high-level webpages outlining the Digital Strategy and overall position on Use of AI Technologies.
15. AI presents an opportunity to make councils greener, smarter, and fairer. With ethical oversight, transparency, and innovation, Bath and North East Somerset can lead the way in using technology to serve people and the planet, supporting both the climate and ecological emergencies the Council has declared.

This Council Resolves to:

1. Recognise the importance of ethical and sustainable use of Artificial Intelligence in delivering services.

2. Request that this issue be referred to the Corporate Policy Development and Scrutiny Panel to review current operational AI practices & policies and consider whether a comprehensive AI policy (strategic & operational) should be developed and, if so, recommend what factors it should address.

[Notes;

1. An amendment to the original motion (which had been moved by Councillor Joanna Wright and seconded by Councillor Saskia Heijtljes) was moved as set out above, and agreed with the votes below;

For (43) – Councillors Michael Auton, Tim Ball, Alex Beaumont, David Biddleston, Colin Blackburn, Alison Born, Anna Box, Stuart Bridge, Paul Crossley, Chris Dando, Jess David, Mark Elliott, Fiona Gourley, Kevin Guy, David Harding, Liz Hardman, Oli Henman, Joel Hirst, Lucy Hodge, Duncan Hounsell, Shaun Hughes, Eleanor Jackson, Grant Johnson, Samantha Kelly, George Leach, John Leach, Sarah Moore, Hal MacFie, Ruth Malloy, Lesley Mansell, Paul May, Simon McCombe, Sarah Moore, Ann Morgan, Robin Moss, Manda Rigby, Dine Romero, Paul Roper, Onkar Saini, Toby Simon, Shaun Stephenson-McGall, Malcolm Treby and Andy Wait

Against (3) – Councillors Saskia Heijltjes, Sam Ross and Joanna Wright

Abstain (3) – Councillors Gavin Heathcote, Karen Walker and Tim Warren

2. This became the substantive motion which was carried with the votes as set out below;

For (44) – Councillors Michael Auton, Tim Ball, Alex Beaumont, David Biddleston, Colin Blackburn, Alison Born, Anna Box, Stuart Bridge, Paul Crossley, Chris Dando, Jess David, Mark Elliott, Fiona Gourley, Kevin Guy, David Harding, Liz Hardman, Oli Henman, Joel Hirst, Lucy Hodge, Duncan Hounsell, Shaun Hughes, Eleanor Jackson, Grant Johnson, Samantha Kelly, George Leach, John Leach, Sarah Moore, Hal MacFie, Ruth Malloy, Lesley Mansell, Paul May, Simon McCombe, Sarah Moore, Ann Morgan, Robin Moss, Manda Rigby, Dine Romero, Paul Roper, Onkar Saini, Toby Simon, Shaun Stephenson-McGall, Malcolm Treby, Andy Wait and Tim Warren

Abstain (5) – Councillors Gavin Heathcote, Saskia Heijltjes, Sam Ross, Karen Walker, Joanna Wright]