Who is acting on digital exclusion?

Aberdeenshire's Digital Strategy 2020–2025 commits to "ensuring no one is left behind" and to residents having "fast, reliable internet access at home and / or at a public building". It is a council-wide digital strategy rather than a digital inclusion plan, and its period has ended. A council officer told us in October 2026 that, as they understand it, no new digital strategy is being developed, and that its digital aims now sit within Future Aberdeenshire, the council's transformation strategy for 2023–2027. That document's digital theme is about "how we can utilise new and existing technologies to better improve efficiencies within the Council and create savings". It does not mention digital inclusion, connectivity or broadband. The council does employ a dedicated officer for digital connectivity, who helps residents apply for the Scottish Broadband Voucher Scheme: 1,189 vouchers had been used in Aberdeenshire by October 2026, which the council says is the highest take-up in Scotland. We were told the council gives residents no financial help to get online beyond pointing them to social tariffs, and relies largely on charities for digital skills support.

The Housing Service Digital Roadmap 2025–2030 includes an objective to "strengthen digital inclusion and equity" for council tenants, informed by a tenant digital skills survey in mid-2025. That covers tenants, not all residents. Angus also has a council Digital Strategy; we found no standalone digital inclusion strategy.

GigaPlus Argyll: community-owned infrastructure serving Colonsay, Mull, Iona, Jura and other Inner Hebrides islands, developed with Community Broadband Scotland funding. Infrastructure-focused — no standalone digital exclusion strategy found.

The council's Digital Strategy 2019–25 covered its own digital transformation and has now run its course. A council report covering 2019–21 said a Digital Inclusion Strategy was "being developed" for Clackmannanshire; we could not find a published one. The council's own list of strategy documents includes a Digital Learning Strategy for schools and a 2011 ICT Strategy, but no digital inclusion strategy. Tell us if we've missed it.

The Digital and ICT Strategy 2026–2031 names "Digital Inclusion: bridging the digital divide" as a core theme and "reduced digital exclusion" as an outcome, and the council provides free public Wi-Fi in 183 of its buildings. But the strategy's delivery plan lists only internal actions — staff skills, AI guidance, automation, cyber security — with none aimed at getting residents online.

Dundee's Digital Strategy 2023–27 recognises "the importance of ensuring those residents who are without access, or who lack digital skills or confidence are not left behind in the fast pace of digital change". It is a council-wide digital strategy; we found no standalone digital inclusion strategy.

The council's digital strategy, "Our digital journey to 2027 and beyond", has a Digital Communities theme with a "Digital Inclusion Approach". The council supports the East Ayrshire Digital Access Network, a partnership providing devices, connectivity and digital skills support, and has signed the Digital Poverty Alliance's Charter for Digital Inclusion on the network's behalf. Inclusion sits within the wider digital strategy rather than a standalone plan.

The council has signed Scotland's Digital Inclusion Charter, pledging to understand digital exclusion and deliver on digital inclusion across the organisation. It describes digital inclusion as "a key priority" in its Digital Strategy 2024–2029. We have not yet read that strategy in full.

Digital inclusion appears in the community plan, not the digital strategy. The "A Place to Grow" Delivery Plan 2026/27 has an outcome that "we will have a modern digital infrastructure to keep our residents, communities and businesses connected", to be measured by "% premises without available ultra-fast broadband connection", and an action to "provide a programme of support to increase digital inclusion for all". Both sit in an annex marked "for reference only — previously approved plan", outside the priorities chosen for this year, and no owner is named. The Digital Transformation Strategy 2025–30 (we read the published summary) is about the council's own systems and staff: it aims to "empower residents to self-serve wherever possible" and "reduce reliance on face-to-face and phone contact", and does not mention broadband, affordability or people who are offline. It lists as a risk that transformation "closes off access channels people rely on", adding "(None planned)".

The Digital and Smart City Strategy 2024–2027 was approved on 22 October 2024. The council says it has "a big ambition to make sure every resident, regardless of background or ability, has access to affordable digital services and the skills they need", and points to citywide fibre, public Wi-Fi and digital literacy work. Inclusion is one aim of a smart-city strategy, not a standalone plan.

The Executive approved a Digital Strategy 2026–2031 on 19 February 2026, "subject to the development of robust business cases and the availability of appropriate funding". Its "Inclusive Digital Access" section covers free SIM cards with up to six months of data for low-income residents, device lending, free Wi-Fi and drop-in help in libraries, and advice on social tariffs. Inclusion is one pillar of a wider council strategy, not a standalone plan.

Scotland's first Digital Housing Strategy 2022–2028. Evidence base found 35% of social rented households (circa 38,500) do not use home broadband. Backed by 32 RSLs covering 75% of stock. No standalone evaluation published yet.

HIE and Community Broadband Scotland have supported pilots in the area including Applecross. Note: the volunteer-run Highland Community Broadband (Ullapool) closed as an organisation in April 2026 after rising costs made it unviable, but sold its network to Scotnet in May 2026, who have kept it running and upgraded it. No standalone council digital inclusion strategy identified.

Digital inclusion is delivered through the council's Inclusive Communities service, alongside adult literacy and English-language learning. Its January 2026 annual report says more than 350 adults were supported across digital skills, literacies and numeracy. The council's own Digital Strategy dates from 2017. We found no standalone digital inclusion strategy.

The Digital Transformation Strategy 2024–29 says the council wants "digital inclusivity and efficiency" at the core of what it does, and commits to keeping in-person and phone options for residents "who may experience digital exclusion". It is a strategy for the council's own services; we found no standalone digital inclusion strategy.

The Comhairle's Corporate Strategy says "it is essential that high-speed digital infrastructure is available across all communities in the Outer Hebrides" and commits to "develop a local approach to digitalisation". The focus is infrastructure and the economy; we found no strategy covering digital skills or affordability for residents.

The Digital Strategy 2023 to 2028 says the council recognises "the social and economic impact of those who are digitally excluded, therefore this will be a key priority for the Council", and reports over 2,000 devices provided across North Ayrshire through Connecting Scotland. Inclusion is a priority within the council's digital strategy, not a standalone plan.

The Digital and IT Strategy 2024–27 commits to "enhance the coverage and reach of digital networks to all homes", "tackling areas of digital exclusion, and creating markets that support affordability", and to a free public Wi-Fi network across town centres and communities. It names its owner: Katrina Hassell, Chief Officer (Business and Digital). In reply to our letter, we were told the council has connected over 950 council homes to gigabit broadband through its Connected Homes pilot, that free town-centre Wi-Fi goes live in seven towns from November 2026, and that 279 learners were supported with digital skills between April and June 2026. It also runs Digital Zones in two libraries and a Community Digital Services directory. Inclusion sits within the council's digital strategy rather than a standalone plan.

The council says better digital connectivity "is a key part of our Council Plan", and its staff help residents and businesses apply for the Scottish Broadband Voucher Scheme — around 940 Orkney premises were eligible in 2023. The focus is infrastructure; we found no strategy covering digital skills or affordability.

Digital Perth and Kinross 2023–2027 includes an "Everyone connected" ambition: identifying and supporting people and communities at risk of digital exclusion, a Local Digital Inclusion Fund for community projects, internet-enabled devices and help to get online in community spaces, and Digital Champions. These sit within a wider council digital strategy rather than a standalone plan.

The council says digital inclusion is "a key priority" and "central to its Digital Strategy 2025 to 2030". It supports the DigiRen Network of local organisations, Digital Champions in libraries, and a 2026 scheme asking residents to donate devices for people who need them. Inclusion sits within the council's digital strategy rather than a standalone plan.

A digital strategy, "Digital Borders", presented to the council in February 2021 aimed to "widen access to digital connectivity" and "reduce social isolation and digital exclusion in our communities". The current Council Plan lists "Enhance digital and transport connectivity" as an outcome. We found no standalone digital inclusion strategy.

The council has a Digital Strategy 2022–2027, focused on making its own services easier to use online. Separately, a Digital Inclusion Group — active since 2012 and chaired by the council's IT service — brings partners together through community planning to help more people get online. We found no standalone published digital inclusion strategy.

The council's priorities for 2022–2027 include "embedding digital and physical connectivity and accelerating infrastructure development". A Digital & ICT Strategy 2026–2029 went to committee for approval in November 2025 (agenda item 17 in the papers linked here). It lists "Digital Inclusion and Skills: supporting staff and citizens with the tools and training needed to thrive in a digital-first world" as a principle, but the initiatives it sets out are for the council's own networks, cybersecurity, staff and schools. None is about residents' connectivity, devices or affordability, and the covering report says "no external consultation was required". Delivery is to be monitored by the Head of Customer Service and Performance. In practice the council does more than the strategy says: its libraries offer volunteer-led "I.T. & ME" sessions and lend tablets with mobile Wi-Fi, its Advice Services run a Digital Inclusion Project, and it has a rural broadband programme. We found no published digital inclusion strategy.

The Strategic Plan 2022–2027 says the council and its partners "need residents to have access to fast broadband". Its libraries won £11,575 in 2025 for a project to address digital exclusion. The council's Digital Strategy page is no longer available on its website, and we found no digital inclusion strategy.