Usage of Artifical Intelligence within Councils (FOI)
Case reference FOI2026/00488
Received 16 April 2026
Published 28 April 2026
Request
Under the Freedom of Information Act (2000), I would like to request the following information regarding usage of Artificial Intelligence within your councils' services:
Tools and Implementation
A. Does your organization utilize any form of Artificial Intelligence or automated systems within its operations?
B. If yes, please list specific tools, programs or platforms in use and identify which service areas they are deployed in. (E.g., social care, housing, customer services).
C. Are any artificial intelligence tools being piloted, please provide brief details of its purpose, timeline and evaluation criteria if so.
D. Do you have any AI tools specifically used for social care, housing services, bin routes or housing services?
Efficiency & Impact
A. Has use of AI boosted efficiency within your organization?
B. Has there been any formal or informal measurement of time saved, and efficiency gained because of artificial implementation? If so, please provide the findings.
C. Can you identify specific areas where it has worked well?
D. How much of the staff within your organization has access to AI tools?
Governance & Policy
A. Do you have a formal AI strategy, policy or governance board in place? If so, please provide a copy or a link to it.
B. Is a Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA) or any similar procedure required before any AI tool is deployed?
C. Has an Equality Impact Assessment been completed for any AI tools in use?
D. Do you require human oversight for AI-assisted outputs or decisions? Please describe how this is enforced.
E. Is there a designated individual or team responsible for AI oversight within your organization?
Ethics & Privacy
A. How have ethical risks such as bias, or privacy been addressed in the usage of AI within your organization?
B. How do you address risks of bias, particularly in services affecting vulnerable groups such as children, elderly residents, or benefit claimants?
C. Are residents informed when AI has been involved within decisions or communications affecting them? If so, how?
Staff & Culture
A. Has your organization provided training or guidance regarding the usage of AI tools?
B. How have staff concerns around AI, such as job displacement been addressed?
Future Plans
A. Are there any AI tools, pilots or strategies planned for the next 12-24 months? If yes, please provide detail.
Response
A. Does your organization utilize any form of Artificial Intelligence or automated systems within its operations?
Yes
B. If yes, please list specific tools, programs or platforms in use and identify which service areas they are deployed in. (E.g., social care, housing, customer services).
ChatBot for the ITSM
C. Are any artificial intelligence tools being piloted, please provide brief details of its purpose, timeline and evaluation criteria if so.
Microsoft Co-pilot. Minute taking and meeting assistant.
D. Do you have any AI tools specifically used for social care, housing services, bin routes or housing services?
Efficiency & Impact
No
A. Has use of AI boosted efficiency within your organization?
We are not using the technology to the extent where we are able to measure efficiencies.
B. Has there been any formal or informal measurement of time saved, and efficiency gained because of artificial implementation? If so, please provide the findings.
No
C. Can you identify specific areas where it has worked well?
No
D. How much of the staff within your organization has access to AI tools?
Currently all staff have access to the internal ITSM AI chatbot
Co-Pilot pilots 12
Governance & Policy
A. Do you have a formal AI strategy, policy or governance board in place? If so, please provide a copy or a link to it.
Currently being developed.
B. Is a Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA) or any similar procedure required before any AI tool is deployed?
Currently being developed
C. Has an Equality Impact Assessment been completed for any AI tools in use?
No
D. Do you require human oversight for AI-assisted outputs or decisions? Please describe how this is enforced.
Unable to answer this as we are very much in the infancy stages of the technology
E. Is there a designated individual or team responsible for AI oversight within your organization?
Transformation Team
Ethics & Privacy
A. How have ethical risks such as bias, or privacy been addressed in the usage of AI within your organization?
Unable to answer this as we are very much in the infancy stages of the technology
B. How do you address risks of bias, particularly in services affecting vulnerable groups such as children, elderly residents, or benefit claimants?
The Council is not currently using AI systems to support decision making. As such, there are no AI‑specific processes in place at this time for addressing risks of bias affecting vulnerable groups. Any future consideration of AI use would be subject to appropriate governance, equality, and data protection assessments before implementation.
C. Are residents informed when AI has been involved within decisions or communications affecting them? If so, how?
We have no AI currently in place where we would need to inform residents that the technology has been used.
Staff & Culture
A. Has your organization provided training or guidance regarding the usage of AI tools?
Unable to answer this as we are very much in the infancy stages of the technology
B. How have staff concerns around AI, such as job displacement been addressed?
Unable to answer this as we are very much in the infancy stages of the technology
Future Plans
A. Are there any AI tools, pilots or strategies planned for the next 12-24 months? If yes, please provide detail.
Yes, we are currently creating our AI strategy and governance around the technology.
Documents
This is South Derbyshire District Council's response to a freedom of information (FOI) or environmental information regulations (EIR) request.
You can browse our other responses or make a new FOI request.