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In March 2009, Solihull Council, along with Sunderland CC, Staffordshire Moorlands DC and Stratford-upon-Avon DC, were awarded Beacon status for the projects that they have implemented to deliver digital inclusion.

A number of key projects attracted the judges which they felt could be leading examples to other local authorities of how simple things can make a big difference to the lives of some of the most disadvantaged people.

Solihull has a mixture of wealth and deprivation. The villages and suburbs of the south of the borough are home to some of the wealthiest people in the country. In contrast North Solihull has been rated as one of the top ten most deprived areas in the Country.

Residents in the 42 high rise blocks in North Solihull experience particular social exclusion and deprivation. A high proportion (over 70%) are not in work with over 40% of tenants stating that they have some form of long term illness or disability. A recent survey carried out on Council tenants showed that only 26% of them had access to the internet at home.

To help residents in most need, the Council and its partners implemented four key projects that contributed to Beacon success.

Provision of free broadband internet access

This project helps to bridge the digital divide in the area, by providing access to technology that can make a significant difference to people’s lives.

The Council and its partners have provided disadvantaged communities living in high rise blocks in the North of the borough with free broadband internet access. The project uses wireless technology and distributes it to residents within individual flats via electrical power lines.

The project has been managed by Solihull Community Housing -who manage council housing on behalf of Solihull, and is supported by the charity ReCOM who provide re-cycled Personal Computers. In addition, the local social enterprise company, the Colebridge Trust, have provided IT and Internet training workshops to tenants.

The project is aimed at ensuring disadvantaged communities and in particular families with children and unemployed people have a basic PC as well as access to the internet so that they can readily seek information to improve educational and employment prospects.

While this project is still in its early days, it’s already having a positive effect on residents.

Sarah King, a resident in one of the high-rise blocks who benefited from the project, said “Getting this computer from Solihull Community Housing as made my life a lot easier. I can do my shopping; I can pay my bills; my son can do his homework. We can just look up anything we need to… plus I have been able to enrol on a College course”  

Interactive CCTV

To improve the way residents feel about their homes, and after listening to the common concerns raised by them, the Council and partners decided to provide interactive CCTV in each of the 42 multi-story blocks in North Solihull.

The project, with a concierge service and 24 hour monitoring centre, aimed to improve security and the quality of life of residents. This has resulted in 68% of residents feeling safer in their homes.

The CCTV system uses the technology to monitor activity in and around the blocks and includes a public address system used to challenge people who are misbehaving. Since the introduction of the system over a year ago, it is estimated that criminal damage in and around the blocks has reduced by 24.5% (Source: West Midlands Police).

The system consists of both static and moveable CCTV cameras and a door access control system and is monitored from a control room 24 hours per day, 365 days per year. CCTV and concierge operators observe both the inside and outside of buildings.

As the system is interactive the operators are able to issue security announcements or talk to people through loudspeakers at each block. This allows operators to intervene when they spot fly tipping or unwanted callers trying to gain access to a block.

Every flat has a video handset, so residents can see who is calling them and decide whether to allow access or divert the call to the concierge service. Residents have been issued with a unique key fob, with their tenancy details held on a fob management database. Fobs can be tracked and deleted if they are being misused.

Solihull Home Options

To further improve the opportunities for Solihull Community Housing residents a Choice Based Lettings system called Solihull Home Options (SHO) was implemented. In devising the scheme, the Council and partners were keen to use the internet as the main means of disseminating information about available properties and for receiving expressions of interest from applicants. This would ensure that information was quickly and easily available and bids could also be made quickly and easily.

There were, however, concerns that using the internet as the main vehicle for SHO could disadvantage those with no access to or familiarity with technology, and could potentially exclude vulnerable people and those most in need of help.

To combat this, Solihull Community Housing worked closely with tenant groups and vulnerable customers, discussing how it could be ensured that the system was understood and accessible by everyone. As a result, specific PCs were installed in libraries across the borough, where customers could access the SHO system, look for suitable properties and make bids. Library staff received training on how to use the system so they could provide support for customers. Training was also given to partner organisations such as housing associations, youth centres and drug rehabilitation centres. Local housing offices were also redesigned to include ‘self help’ areas where PCs are available to allow customers to access the SHO system.

This project has resulted in 94% of bids being made over the internet, far higher than anticipated.

Excellence in the Community

This £1.6m project is providing14 training areas in schools in the North of the Borough to enable a wide range of training for local people. Courses are being delivered by a variety of providers and are designed around the needs and preferences of local people.

All school centres are able to offer IT courses and the vast majority have broadband internet access - two of the schools have specialist IT training suites where more extensive courses can be undertaken. This long term programme has agreed funding for 15 years, complementing the major regeneration project in North Solihull.

Becoming a Beacon

The Council identified five key Customer Outcomes as part of its vision for making Solihull a place where well-being, pride and quality of life are enjoyed by all. Three of these outcomes relate specifically to tackling exclusion and promoting life chances.

Digital inclusion is not simply about giving customers access to technology and removing any barriers to use. The Council believes that it is about improving people's life chances and is committed to improving household incomes through the take up of employment opportunities, and improving people's skills.

Cabinet Member for Resources, Councillor Ken Hawkins, summarised the pride shown by the partnership in delivering these projects “Some seemingly simple projects have helped us to transform the lives and improve the opportunities of some of those really in need. We are truly proud of what we and our partners have achieved, being awarded with Beacon Status is a great testament to everyone involved and the hard work that is being put into Digital Inclusion.”

Other projects underway include:

·    Telecare for older and vulnerable people (with Solihull Care Trust and Solihull Community Housing)
·    Broadband, PCs and training for disabled and vulnerable people ( working with the voluntary sector)
·    Digital TV service
·    On-line polling over local issues
·    Facebook access to engage young people
·    CRM system for customer access
·    Access to broadband for business
·    School to home services

The Council and its partners are looking forward to working closely with other Beacon winners to help share the achievements of all the Councils involved.