Councillors will be probing ‘smart town’ data and claims this week in a session of the Employment, Business and Investment Scrutiny Committee.
Launched in 2021/22 with funding from the Welsh Government, the SMART Towns Initiative has seen the deployment of sensors and digital infrastructure to address urban challenges, from parking to flood management. The council has championed the project as a way to streamline services, save cash, and improve quality of life for residents.
Yet, while the achievements are being hailed by some as groundbreaking, councillors are likely to seek evidence to back up the glowing reports.
The council has described Wrexham as a leader in SMART technology, citing interest from other authorities in replicating its approach. The initiative includes the installation of LoRaWAN (Long Range Wide Area Network) technology, which enables sensors to collect and transmit data across the borough. Coverage has grown from three gateways in the city center to 11 borough-wide, with 10 more awaiting installation.
Significantly this expansion will “significantly increases the ability and capacity to deploy sensors across Wrexham’s urban villages and rural communities”.
As reported last week the council claims soil moisture sensors in city-center flower beds are saving 1,000 liters of water daily, equivalent to approximately £32,000 over seven months. Similarly, flood sensors in culverts near St Giles Church have reportedly delivered cost-effective risk management at a ‘fraction’ of previous costs. There is no detail of who commissioned , or why, expensive procurement took place historically nor why the committee has not probed that before.
Mobile connectivity has also been a priority. Recent upgrades to phone masts have boosted network performance. Yet, mapping exercises have shown persistent gaps in coverage, and it remains unclear how soon rural areas will see comparable benefits. More mapping will take place with bin lorries being equipped with logging systems to record signal strength.
Readers may be surprised to learn that apparently £700k of upgrades to mobile networks have taken place locally, which has “To date all seven agreed upgrades (Coedpoeth High Street, Holt Road, Golbourne Avenue, Gwersyllt / Lidl, Bradley / Cricket Ground, Priory Street) have taken place, releasing 40% capacity back into the network. Each upgrade requires approximately £100,000 of investment. ”
The report states that a deal between the council and ‘Freshwave’ will at some point mean small cell technology phone signal infrastructure will be installed to boost signal in the city centre – using the council’s connectivity.
A first in Wales
One of the initiative’s most publicly visible projects has been the deployment of SMART benches and digital information screens in Wrexham town center. The benches should allow users to charge devices and connect to Wi-Fi, while the interactive screens display maps, event information, and business promotions. The council says these features will enhance the visitor experience and boost local businesses.
Thirty SMART bin sensors monitor waste levels, helping “highlighting only the need to empty fuller units and prioritising workload to ensure the refuge collection is efficient as can be with addition of ensuring the place and area around is safe and clean”.
In a quote that made headlines across the UK, Cllr David A Bithell said “What you have got to remember with bins, bins attract litter” so if top performing bins are removed or emptied is yet to be seen.
Sensors in schools and workplaces track air quality and noise. At Plas Coch school, students have even formed a “Data Detective Team” to analyse sensor data, with councillors told, “They monitor the data from the sensors to reduce the CO2 levels within the classroom. This is positive for the learning environment but also directly supports the delivery if the curriculum”.
Councillors are given another example in an education setting, “A simple intervention of opening a window for 10 minutes can dramatically improve the CO2 levels, which has a positive impact on the learning environment” although how that positive impact is measured is not shown.
One of the initiative’s main selling points has been its potential for cost savings – SMART plugs installed in council offices, intended to monitor and reduce energy use, revealed a potential annual saving of £145 per device if photocopiers are powered down over weekends. If rolled out across the council there could be significant savings.
With Wrexham becoming ‘smart’, we asked OpenAI what future Smart Councillors could be asking in Scrutiny about the reports, prompting an interesting view on the calibre of local councillor questions v smart computing !
OpenAI did not hit the ‘thank the officers’ bingo phrase so is yet unable to authentically think as a councillor. OpenAI suggested:
Councillors could ask a variety of questions to scrutinize the claims and data presented about Wrexham’s SMART Towns Initiative. Here are key questions they might pose, grouped by topic:
1. Overall Project Goals and Outcomes
- What specific metrics or KPIs are being used to measure the success of the SMART Towns Initiative, and how often are they evaluated?
- How does Wrexham’s progress compare to similar SMART initiatives in other local authorities?
- What are the long-term goals of the initiative, and how do these align with the council’s broader strategic objectives, such as economic growth, sustainability, and social inclusion?
2. Financial Oversight
- How was the £72,000 Welsh Government funding allocated across the various pilots, and what specific outcomes have been achieved with this funding?
- What are the projected ongoing costs of maintaining the infrastructure (e.g., LoRaWAN gateways, sensors) after initial funding is exhausted?
- Are there any anticipated savings or revenue-generation opportunities to offset the costs of the SMART Towns project in the future?
3. Environmental Claims
- The report states that soil moisture sensors save 1,000 liters of water per day and approximately £32,000 over seven months. Can you provide detailed calculations and evidence to substantiate these claims?
- How are the flood sensors performing in terms of reducing actual flood risk, and are there examples of where they have directly prevented damage or disruption?
- How do the air quality improvements in schools and workplaces compare to baseline data collected before the deployment of sensors?
4. Connectivity and Infrastructure
- What is the current percentage of LoRaWAN coverage across the county, and how does this align with the target of 90-95% coverage mentioned in the report?
- How have upgrades to mobile networks and the introduction of small-cell technology impacted user experiences? Are there measurable improvements in mobile signal strength and capacity?
- What is the plan to address connectivity gaps in rural areas, and how will these efforts be funded?
5. Data Privacy and Compliance
- What measures are in place to ensure compliance with GDPR and other data protection regulations for the sensors and devices used in the initiative?
- How is personal data anonymized, particularly for technologies like footfall counters or mobile signal mapping?
- Has there been any feedback or concerns from the public regarding privacy issues?
6. Public Engagement and Awareness
- How have residents and local businesses been informed about the SMART Towns Initiative and its benefits? What feedback has been received so far?
- Are there mechanisms in place to gather ongoing input from the public to refine or expand the project?
- How are schools and community groups being engaged in the educational aspects of the initiative, and are there plans to scale up this involvement?
7. Technology Effectiveness
- How reliable have the sensors and other technologies been in terms of performance and maintenance? Are there any notable failures or challenges?
- Can you provide detailed data or case studies showing how the use of SMART technology has directly improved service delivery (e.g., waste collection routes optimized by bin sensors)?
- Are there contingency plans in place for potential technology obsolescence, particularly for rapidly evolving fields like IoT and connectivity?
8. Economic and Business Impacts
- Have local businesses reported any measurable benefits from the SMART technologies, such as increased footfall or enhanced customer engagement through the digital screens?
- How has the initiative contributed to economic regeneration in areas beyond the city center, particularly in rural communities?
- Are there opportunities for local tech companies or start-ups to be involved in expanding or maintaining the SMART Towns project?
9. Claims of Innovation and Leadership
- What specific elements of the project make Wrexham a “national leader” in SMART technology, as claimed in the report? Can these claims be substantiated with third-party recognition or benchmarking data?
- Have other councils or organizations implemented similar initiatives based on Wrexham’s model, and what feedback have they provided?
- How is the council ensuring that the SMART Towns Initiative remains innovative and ahead of technological advancements in the field?
10. Scalability and Replicability
- What lessons have been learned from the pilots, and how are these informing the potential scaling up of successful initiatives across the borough?
- Are there specific areas or communities where the initiative has faced challenges, and what steps are being taken to address these?
- Can the approaches and technologies used in the SMART Towns project be replicated in other sectors, such as healthcare or transportation?
11. Social and Accessibility Considerations
- How does the initiative ensure inclusivity for residents who may not be tech-savvy or who lack access to digital devices?
- What efforts have been made to assess and address any potential unintended consequences of the initiative, such as increased surveillance concerns or unequal access to services?
- Are there specific measures in place to support vulnerable groups in benefiting from the project?
12. Future-Proofing
- How will the council ensure that the SMART infrastructure remains adaptable to emerging technologies and future needs?
- What steps are being taken to train council staff and other stakeholders to manage and optimize the use of SMART technologies?
- How does the council plan to secure ongoing funding or partnerships to sustain the initiative over the next five to ten years?
These questions are designed to probe the claims made in the reports, identify potential gaps or risks, and ensure accountability while also seeking clarity on the broader impact of the initiative.
(Top pic – County Borough LoRaWAN coverage from the documents)
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