Foreword

Advances in technology and its increasing integration into every aspect of society is transforming the way we work, travel, power our homes and access health care, education and local services. Whilst this transformation has been significant in recent years, it is small in comparison to how technology will transform our lives in the years to come. Added to this is the need to respond to the climate emergency, the continuing challenges of the pandemic, the need to nurture growth in the local economy and ensure our local communities and businesses are not excluded by the opportunities digital technologies will bring.

We need to ensure that Bradford District continues to thrive and develop the right skills, infrastructure and businesses that will empower people to self-serve, encourage social innovation and build a prosperous and connected district.

It is against this backdrop that this Digital Strategy for Bradford District is designed, to transition Bradford as a community and place into the future where it has integrated the best of digital and smart technologies to improve the lives of the citizens of Bradford District and support the district’s priorities for Clean Growth.

This Strategy encompasses initiatives already underway, investments we are making now to take us forward, and areas to be considered to help us identify opportunities into the future. The focus is on getting the foundations right, building capability in emerging technologies and lifting our ambition through digital growth priorities.

This is just the beginning, it is a living strategy. It is an opportunity to reshape the future of the district to ensure all our communities can thrive. We will continue to develop the strategy together with our partners and adjust course as we need to, to ensure we are successful in reaching our ambitions.

As the district makes the changes necessary to keep pace with a digitally transforming world, it’s important we bring all our communities along with us. We need to make sure our citizens see and experience the benefits of digital and smart technologies and that we are able to meet the technological expectations of our community. This cannot happen if sections of our communities feel left behind – we need to work with all our communities to ensure a digital future is for everyone.

We will achieve this together, relying on partnerships with all communities, industry and government. We  will work in unison with the Mayor of West Yorkshire and the West Yorkshire Combined Authority to achieve these goals. Digital technology provides an opportunity for a brighter future for Bradford District to become an innovative and resilient world class leader. It is hoped this strategy provides a coherent framework and a “call to arms” to focus our collective efforts to achieve that aim.

Kersten England
Chief Executive
City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council