Cash-strapped Labour council spends £30k on robot vacuum cleaners and introduces AI assistants to answer phone calls from the public_Nhy
A cash-strapped council has been criticised after it spent more than £30,000 on two robotic vacuum cleaners.
Opposition councillors say they fear the move by Labour-run Derby City Council was the ‘next step towards phasing out physical staff for automation’.
It comes after the council introduced two new artificial intelligence (AI) digital assistants called ‘Darcie’ and ‘Ali’ to answer phones and website queries as it tries to claw back a predicted £9.6 million overspend.
The council has said the robotic cleaners will ‘increase the capacity of existing cleaning staff and extend the lifespan of the carpet’ at its Council House headquarters in the city. It has spent £33,000 on the two machines, which includes a three-year servicing agreement.
The council insisted they would not lead to job losses.
But opposition Conservative group leader Councillor Steve Hassall said he has grave concerns.
He said: ‘I am awaiting an overdue Freedom of Information request in which I asked about the impact on jobs.
‘The upcoming council budget will be highlighting job cuts, which the Labour group says it will manage via deletion of vacant posts and voluntary redundancy. They have already replaced public-facing staff with Darcie – this is the next step towards phasing out physical staff for automation.’
Labour-run Derby City Council has been criticised for spending £30k on two robot vacuum cleaners
Opposition councillors said the move could be a move towards ‘phasing out physical staff for automation’
Councils across the country are increasingly turning to AI to save money but there are fears it will make it harder for residents to speak to human employees about issues and could see staff replaced by the new technology.
Derby City Council says AI can help streamline simple processes and free up staff to better meet residents’ needs.
It has signed a £7m contract to introduce AI to a range of services, including debt recovery and in adult social care, where the technology will be used to review care packages and help decide if someone who needs support living at home is receiving the right level of care. It says AI will eventually help save £12 million.
In response to questions about the vacuums, a council spokesman said they would ‘enable our cleaning staff to focus on more complex tasks and to support new paying clients entering the building’.
He added: ‘The introduction of the vacuum cleaners has had a positive impact on our operations, increasing the capacity of our cleaning staff and allowing them more time for tasks. The efficiency of the vacuum cleaners has also significantly extended the lifespan of our carpeted surfaces, which has delayed the need for any costly replacements of carpets.
‘The decision to introduce the vacuum cleaners was made by council officers and was carefully considered following the trial.
‘At the time of implementation, there was only one UK distributor for the make and model of the robotic vacuum needed. They were purchased through the council’s spending panel process and are proving a worthwhile innovation in helping us make the best use of our resources.’
