A new digital strategy will push forward Edinburgh’s ambitions for becoming a sustainable and inclusive Smart City.
The Digital and Smart City strategy 2024 – 2027 – aimed at accelerating the city’s technological transformation – was approved by members of the Policy and Sustainability Committee today (Tuesday 22 October).

Since the launch of Edinburgh’s previous Smart City strategy in 2020, the council has made significant progress in using digital tools to improve the city’s infrastructure and services. Achievements include:

• Better website accessibility standards and translation tools to improve online access to Council services for all
• Greater citywide connectivity through better digital infrastructure, including citywide fibre networks and public Wi-Fi, making internet access inclusive
• Introduction of integrated real-time public transport information and 24/7 monitoring of busy areas, helping to keep the city moving and safe
• A focus on improving digital literacy, equipping people with skills to participate in online activities and gain employment
• Providing 1 to 1 electronic devices for all P6-S6 and staff, plus 1 to 5 shared devices for all other learners in P1-P5, to combat a digital learning divide
• Installing 11,000 bin sensors around the city to help waste crews identify hot-spot areas for bin collections and plan routes efficiently, keeping the city clean and green
• The installation of damp sensors into 500 homes to help detect early repairs and to promote health and wellbeing
• Mandatory cyber training for all council workers to build resilience and digital safety at a time of increased attacks on largescale organisations
• Edinburgh cited as one of the UK’s fastest-growing tech hubs, with over 15,000 people working in software development alone.

Council Leader Cammy Day said:
“Our biggest priorities for Edinburgh are to create good places to live and work, tackle poverty and inequality and become a net zero city. Our Smart City approach is central to all three of those aims.

“We’ve achieved a lot in the last three years to make Council services more efficient and accessible and to improve connectivity – but we have a big ambition to make sure every resident, regardless of background or ability, has access to affordable digital services and the skills they need.

“We plan to build on our use of smart technology to improve day to day council services, and we’re looking at using data monitoring to better understand how people get around and use the city. Edinburgh is a growing magnet for tech and we plan to partner with universities, companies and start-ups to further grow and attract global investment.

“By embracing innovation, we can improve the quality of life for everyone who lives and works here.”
A further report on the Council’s implementation of the Smart Cities Strategy will be brought to a future meeting of the Policy and Sustainability Committee.