Local councils across the UK are piloting an AI tool named ‘Minute’ to reduce administrative tasks and enhance service delivery as part of the government’s Plan for Change. The tool is part of the ‘Humphrey’ AI suite developed by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT). It is being trialled by 25 councils, including West Berkshire Council and Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council, to expedite note-taking in various services such as planning and social care.
The introduction of ‘Minute’ coincides with a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, where heads of devolved governments and elected English Mayors discussed recent trade deals and the role of AI in enhancing public services. This marks the first instance of AI being used for taking notes in a meeting led by a UK Prime Minister.
AI initiative supports essential public services
‘Minute’ aims to streamline the planning process, contributing to the government’s goal of constructing 1.5 million homes by 2030 by reducing post-meeting paperwork and enabling quicker decision-making. In social care, the tool supports detailed note-taking during meetings between workers and supervisors, allowing more focus on providing support rather than managing bureaucracy.
“From parking permits and planning permission, local councils handle some of the services that impact our daily lives most,” said AI and Digital Government Minister Feryal Clark. For too long, they have been left to fend for themselves when keeping up with rapid innovations in AI and digital technology – when we know it has huge potential to help solve many of the challenges they face. That’s why “Humphrey”, a suite of exciting AI tools built in my department, is being sent to townhalls to help them fast track planning decisions, build 1.5 million homes and take meeting notes more quickly.”
The government is encouraging local councils to leverage technology across essential services, including planning approvals, housing, pest control, and parking permits. A new AI Knowledge Hub has been launched to share examples of technology use in local councils, such as an AI assistant that accelerates the reporting of fly-tipping and graffiti in central London.
Part of the broader ‘Humphrey’ suite, ‘Minute’ uses generative AI to convert meetings into notes with tools for refining summaries. Initial tests within central government indicated a significant reduction in administrative time spent on meetings.
This initiative aligns with the Prime Minister’s commitment to digitising government services to achieve £45bn in productivity savings. The State of Digital Government Review highlighted that local councils spend £5bn annually on technology but employ half the necessary digital specialists. It also revealed inefficiencies due to independent technology contract negotiations by 320 local authorities.
The UK government is exploring ways technology can help councils save money while enhancing public service delivery. This includes improving data sharing among councils and public bodies and promoting collective contract negotiations and best practice sharing.
The new AI Knowledge Hub supports these efforts by providing practical examples for other organisations within the UK public sector to adopt AI more swiftly and effectively.
Read more: AI and automation could save 30.6 million hours lost weekly in UK public sector, new research suggests
