Delivering Smart Governance in a Future City: The Case of Glasgow

Abstract

In 2013, Glasgow City Council received significant funding to develop innovative smart city applications, including the delivery of new electronic public services and the co-production of governance. This case study examines the processes that underpin the ways in which the ‘Future City Glasgow programme’ delivered ‘smart governance’, in the context of a regenerating post-industrial city. We assess the contribution of smart city technologies and data collection and monitoring processes designed to facilitate citizen engagement and sustainable governance practices. The Future City Glasgow programme ran from 2013‒2015, and included the Open Glasgow project, and ‘Demonstrator Projects’ of: Energy Efficiency; Intelligent Street Lighting; Active Travel; and, Integrated Social Transport. Opportunities arose from these demonstrators for developing co-production and legacy initiatives. The case study provides insight into the ways in which citizens and local communities in Glasgow have been engaged in governance processes. This engagement has taken place via traditional and innovative smart city technologies, and in particular in relation to policy formulation, service design and delivery. It finds that the co-creation of governance is shaped by vested interests, that engagement is fragmented and partial, but at the same time new technologies, social media and shared learning opportunities offer innovative new ways for <em>some</em> citizens to influence local governance.

Searching for the real sustainable smart city?

“…However, it must be recognised that these new mechanisms may appeal to 'niche' groups in society which have specific and perhaps transient 'local' interests, and that there will not necessarily be potential for the scalability of these mechanisms to reach wider participatory audiences. Leleux and Webster (2018) in their case study of the city of Glasgow's transformation to become a 'future city' offer new insight to the academic discourse on how smart governance is being created in a city where a significant number of citizens (approaching 50%) live in deprived areas.…”

“…From this systematic literature review a conceptual model of smart city governance emerged based on three academic bodies of work and practitioner agendas, notably around sustainability, new technology and citizen engagement. The literature review was augmented by an in-depth qualitative case study examination of the transformation of Glasgow into a 'Future City' (Leleux and Webster, 2018), which included an assessment of the contribution of smart city technologies and data collection and monitoring processes designed to facilitate citizen engagement and sustainable governance practices.…”

“…For example, the analysis of 'Connected Glasgow' (Leleux and Webster, 2018, p.168) shows how a large number of data sets were made publicly available, alongside a number of App's and a city 'dashboard' to provide citizens with access to information about services in the city. The focus of these initiatives was either to adopt technology in order to replace outdated infrastructure and facilities (for example new LED lighting) or to streamline an existing administrative process, including eGov applications (Leleux and Webster, 2018).…”

“…In this practical sense the perspectives and any smart city application have to be rooted and understood in their societal and institutional contexts. This line of argument is evidenced by the many demonstrator projects embedded in the Glasgow Future City programme (Leleux and Webster, 2018). Whilst they all had components relating to new technology, only some focussed on sustainability issues directly, usually through a reduction in resource use and energy consumption, and only a few directly engaged citizens in the formation of public policy and service delivery.…”

“…There were notable exceptions, where demonstrator projects satisfied all three perspectives, such as the Cycling and Walking app, where sustainability was realised by encouraging healthy lifestyles and citizen data was used to inform and shape public policy relating to cycle lanes. However, the overall view is that most of the demonstrator project were focussed on the development of new digital technologies for the purpose of enhanced service delivery and consequently a more efficient use of resources (Leleux and Webster, 2018).…”