A series of workshops were held last week as part of Sutton’s Smart Place project which aims to find innovative solutions, including through the use of digital technology, to improve the lives of people in the borough.

Around 80 people took part, coming from all over the country, including local residents, public sector partners, the voluntary sector and solution providers. The workshops looked to tackle and consider solutions to three key areas identified as part of work on The Sutton Plan:

• Supporting older people to live independently, make informed choices about their future care provision, reduce isolation and increase digital confidence;
• Improving Sutton’s environment – including community engagement in local democracy, the town centre and its management, air quality, parking and congestion;
• Supporting independent travel for those in the borough that need support to travel on their own, whether young people or adults, and importantly, reassuring parents or carers of the safety of that individual traveller.

The sessions focussed on each challenge, from the perspective of the user/customer, and were designed to help explore each theme in detail and discover the possibilities for improving the outcomes of people in the borough.

Participants gave some very positive feedback and the next step is to examine all of the information gathered.  There will then be an open procurement exercise to help find the right solutions for Sutton.