Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council is revolutionising its operations with an artificial intelligence (AI) pilot programme that is drastically cutting staff admin time, allowing more focus on delivering public services, council leaders have said.
The council, one of 25 local authorities testing AI systems, is trialling two programmes—Minute and Magic Notes—which transcribe and summarise meetings of up to 40 participants. These tools also auto-generate templates for action plans and internal reports, streamlining processes that once bogged down staff.
Paul Rowling, the council’s deputy leader, told BBC Radio Tees: “Staff have shared that it’s fundamentally changing their day-to-day work. They’re spending less time on admin and more on delivering the public services they’re dedicated to.”
Corinne Moore, the council’s digital and website development manager, highlighted a practical example: “In public protection, meetings used to require hours of manual transcription. Now, what took three hours is down to just half an hour with AI recording.”
**Union Cautions Against Job Cuts**
Public sector union Unison has welcomed AI’s potential to reduce workloads and working hours but urged councils to prioritise staff welfare. Kate Jones, Unison’s AI policy lead, said: “AI must benefit public services and improve workers’ lives, not lead to job losses. Any rollout of transformative tech needs a robust plan for reskilling and redeployment.”
Rowling reassured that the council has no plans to cut jobs: “We see AI as a way to upskill our staff and prepare them for the future, not as a cost-cutting or job-cutting exercise.”
The pilot reflects a broader push to integrate AI responsibly in public services, balancing efficiency gains with workforce development.
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