Politics

Bath and North East Somerset councillors debate AI ethics policy amid service improvements

Thursday, 27 November 2025 6:19AM UTC

Green councillors in Bath and North East Somerset advocate for a formal ethics framework governing AI use, sparking debate over transparency, fairness, and social impact amid ongoing technological adoption to boost service efficiency.

Green councillors in Bath and North East Somerset (B&NES) have urged the council to adopt a formal ethics policy governing the use of artificial intelligence (AI), sparking a lively debate about the role of technology in public services. The Green Party motion sought to ensure that AI deployment is conducted transparently, fairly, and with consideration of its environmental and social impact, particularly on jobs. However, their concerns were met with pushback from other councillors who depicted the Greens’ stance as alarmist, with one Labour member likening it to the fictional and dystopian AI system “Skynet” from the Terminator films.

The Liberal Democrat-led council currently utilises three AI tools: Microsoft Copilot for administrative tasks, Magicnotes for transcribing and summarising social care meetings, and Zoom for telephony support in contact centres. These tools aim to reduce administrative burdens and free up staff time for frontline care. Cabinet member for resources Mark Elliott highlighted examples where social care workers reported saving up to ten hours a week by using Magicnotes, allowing them to spend more time with vulnerable residents. In children’s services, the use of AI reportedly reduced admin time by 75%, enabling teams to focus on assessments and direct support. AI is also employed in the council’s contact centre to improve call handling and follow-up efficiency, with safeguards in place around data protection and ethical use.

Despite such practical benefits, Greens Joanna Wright and Saskia Heijltjes – the latter holding a degree in AI – emphasised the need for a policy framework ensuring AI use aligns with public interest rather than commercial profit motives. Wright noted the risk of deploying AI purely as a cost-saving tool without considering its broader wellbeing implications. The motion was passed, though it was amended by Liberal Democrat and Labour groups to delegate the development of an AI ethics policy to a scrutiny and policy development committee rather than adopting a council-wide directive immediately.

The debate reflects broader public sector trends where AI is being trialled or adopted to improve efficiency while raising important ethical and operational questions. For instance, Somerset Council’s experience with Magicnotes mirrors B&NES’s findings, reporting significant time savings for social workers (around 11 hours weekly) and business support staff, while enhancing accessibility for workers with disabilities. Meanwhile, Bath & North East Somerset Council has sought resident input on using digital technologies to transform adult social care, aiming to ensure these innovations meet user needs and gain public trust.

Investments in AI and data innovation are growing among local authorities, with Somerset Council approving a £1.56 million budget to expand its AI capabilities and create trusted, integrated data views to better pre-empt and address resident support needs. This underscores a wider movement across councils to harness AI for operational improvements, cost savings, and enhanced service delivery amid budget constraints. Yet, as B&NES councillors’ discussion highlighted, these gains must be balanced against concerns over transparency, fairness, privacy, and the broader social impact of reliance on AI tools developed by large technology firms.

Additionally, B&NES is exploring AI's potential to answer residents’ queries directly, as part of ongoing efforts to improve efficiency and manage rising public service costs. This approach includes proposals to increase certain fees alongside AI-enhanced service models, with public consultation underway to shape next year’s budget. The council maintains that internal policies on data protection and responsible AI use are already in place, and emphasises that all AI-generated content undergoes review by officers to ensure compliance and accuracy.

In summary, Bath and North East Somerset Council stands at a crossroads common to many local authorities: eager to leverage AI’s practical benefits to relieve stretched resources and improve resident services, yet mindful of the ethical and social responsibilities this entails. The formation of a dedicated committee to develop an AI ethics policy reflects a cautious but proactive response, aiming to establish governance frameworks that safeguard transparency, fairness, and environmental considerations while embracing technological innovation.

📌 Reference Map:

^[1] Somerset Live - Paragraphs 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
^[2] Bath & North East Somerset Council - Paragraph 2, 9
^[3] Somerset Council - Paragraph 6, 7
^[4] Bath & North East Somerset Council - Paragraph 7
^[5] Somerset Council - Paragraph 8
^[6] Think Digital Partners - Paragraph 7
^[7] MNR Journal - Paragraph 9

Source: Noah Wire Services

More on this

https://www.somersetlive.co.uk/news/local-news/greens-accused-acting-like-firm-10668838 - Please view link - unable to able to access data
https://www.bathnes.gov.uk/use-ai-technologies - Bath & North East Somerset Council is exploring and trialling the use of AI technologies in various areas of its operations. Currently, the council is trialling three AI tools: Microsoft Copilot for administrative functions, Magicnotes for transcribing and summarising meetings in social care, and Zoom for telephony and supporting contact centre teams. The council ensures that all AI-produced content undergoes review by a Council officer before being used further, and personal data is processed in accordance with GDPR and data protection policies.
https://www.somerset.gov.uk/news/somerset-social-workers-save-time-on-admin-thanks-to-ai-tool-magic-notes/ - Somerset Council has implemented 'Magic Notes', an AI-powered tool that converts meeting recordings into detailed reports and case notes, allowing social workers to focus more on frontline care. A pilot involving 20 staff members from Children’s Social Care and the Children’s Social Care Business Operations Service showed significant time savings, with practitioners saving approximately 11 hours per week and business support colleagues saving 5 hours weekly. The tool also improved accessibility for workers with visual impairments or dyslexia, fostering a more inclusive workplace culture.
https://newsroom.bathnes.gov.uk/news/council-seeks-residents-views-how-technology-can-improve-adult-social-care-services - Bath & North East Somerset Council, in partnership with Healthwatch, launched a survey to gather residents' views on utilising digital technology to transform adult social care services. The survey aimed to understand how digital and technology-enabled care (TEC) is currently used by residents and to identify opportunities and challenges associated with these solutions. It also sought residents' willingness to be contacted in the future to continue gathering information on their experiences and ensure that adult social care support meets their needs.
https://www.somerset.gov.uk/news/council-invests-in-data-and-ai-to-improve-services-and-reduce-costs/ - Somerset Council has approved a £1.56 million investment in digital innovations as part of its ongoing Inspiring Innovation transformation programme. This investment includes expanding the Council’s AI and Data Team by creating 15 new roles, aiming to improve data utilisation and AI capabilities. One key initiative is to create trusted 'single views' of residents by integrating data from different parts of the Council, enabling earlier identification of support needs and preventing crises. The investment is funded by capital funding set aside for transformation work.
https://www.thinkdigitalpartners.com/news/2025/09/23/local-authorities-harness-ai-to-transform-services-and-free-up-staff-time/ - Local authorities across the UK, including Somerset Council, are adopting artificial intelligence (AI) to improve digital services, streamline workloads, and enhance resident support. Somerset Council has deployed 'Magic Notes', an AI tool that converts meeting recordings into detailed reports and case notes, allowing social workers to focus more on people rather than paperwork. The pilot showed significant time savings, with weekly admin time reduced by 46%, assessments and reports completed 65% faster, and 95% of staff wanting to continue using the tool.
https://www.mnrjournal.co.uk/news/ai-could-be-used-to-answer-residents-questions-as-bnes-council-looks-to-save-money-749471 - Bath & North East Somerset Council is considering the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to answer residents' questions as part of its efforts to save money. The council has faced escalating costs and is exploring ways to generate revenue and reduce expenses. The proposal includes increasing green bin charges and parking permit fees, as well as implementing AI to improve efficiency and reduce reliance on call centres. The council's budget consultation for 2025/26 is open until January 20, 2025, seeking public feedback on these proposals.

Noah Fact Check Pro

The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may warrant further investigation.

Freshness check

Score: 8

Notes: The narrative is recent, with the motion for an AI ethics policy being tabled on 20 November 2025. The earliest known publication date of similar content is 19 September 2024, when the Rights of Nature motion was rejected. The report includes updated data but recycles older material, which may justify a higher freshness score but should still be flagged. ([bath.greenparty.org.uk](https://bath.greenparty.org.uk/2024/09/19/banes-council-nips-natures-rights-in-the-bud-green-motion-rejected/?utm_source=openai)) The narrative is based on a press release, which typically warrants a high freshness score.

Quotes check

Score: 9

Notes: The report includes direct quotes from Councillor Joanna Wright and Councillor Saskia Heijltjes. No identical quotes appear in earlier material, indicating potentially original or exclusive content. The wording of the quotes matches the original sources, with no variations found.

Source reliability

Score: 7

Notes: The narrative originates from Somerset Live, a regional news outlet. While it is not as widely recognised as national media, it is a reputable source for local news. The Green Party's website is also cited, which is a direct source but may present a biased perspective. The Bath & North East Somerset Council's official website is referenced, providing authoritative information.

Plausability check

Score: 8

Notes: The claims about the council's use of AI tools like Microsoft Copilot, Magicnotes, and Zoom are plausible and align with known initiatives. The motion for an AI ethics policy reflects ongoing discussions about AI governance in local authorities. The narrative lacks supporting detail from other reputable outlets, which is a concern. The tone and language are consistent with typical council communications.

Overall assessment

Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): OPEN

Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): MEDIUM

Summary: The narrative is recent and includes original quotes, suggesting a high freshness and originality score. However, the reliance on a single source and lack of corroboration from other reputable outlets raise concerns about the reliability and comprehensiveness of the information. The plausibility of the claims is supported by known initiatives, but the absence of supporting details from other sources warrants further scrutiny.

AI in public services
local government
ethics policy