Somerset Council has approved a £1.56 million investment in artificial intelligence and data innovation to help improve public services and reduce long-term costs.
The funding, agreed by the Council’s Executive this week, will support the expansion of its AI and Data Team, creating 15 new roles and offering fresh employment opportunities in the growing tech sector.
The investment forms part of the Council’s wider Inspiring Innovation transformation programme, which aims to modernise services and improve outcomes for residents.
One of the key initiatives will be the creation of ‘single views’ of residents—bringing together data from across departments to help identify when people may need support, enabling earlier intervention before they reach crisis point.
Cllr Theo Butt Philip, Lead Member for Transformation, Human Resources and Localities, said: “This is a long-term investment to build capability across the whole Council. By using data and AI more effectively, we can deliver better outcomes for the people and communities of Somerset.”
The Council says improved data use could help identify families at risk of homelessness earlier, potentially preventing up to 256 cases each year. It builds on previous work such as the Transform Family View system, which helps professionals better understand and respond to the needs of children and young people.
The £1.56m investment will be funded from capital already set aside for transformation work and cannot be used for day-to-day services. Further details are available in the Council’s decision papers here.
