The Chairman will announce details of the arrangements in case of fire or other events that might require the meeting room or building’s evacuation.

The Chairman reminded Members of the action to be taken in an emergency.

To receive (if any)

No apologies were received. Luke Burton attended via zoom. Cllr Judith Holt and Cllr Frankie Walker arrived during the meeting.

Members are invited to disclose any interests in any of the items on the agenda at this point of the meeting.  Members may still declare an interest in an item at any time prior to the consideration of the matter.

There were no disclosures of interest.

To approve as a correct record the Minutes of the meetings of the Committee held on 3^rd April 2025 and authorise the Chairman to sign them

The minutes of the meeting held on 3 April 2025 were agreed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

Documents attached

The report presented to the Committee was the Artificial Intelligence: Use in Social Care and Broader Council Services.

Officers explained that Magic Notes was developed to reduce administrative burden and enhance assessment quality. Members were informed that its meeting summarisation tool now includes one-click report generation for documents like Education and Health Care Plans (EHCPs) and Best Interest Assessments (BIAs).

Members welcomed the tool’s progress since the pilot, noting key benefits: 86% of staff reported reduced admin time, faster and more accurate assessments, language translation, inclusive design, flexible licensing, low-risk scalability, and alignment with Quality Assurance processes. Members noted an average time saving using Magic Notes of 38.62 minutes across various meetings and assessments.

Members noted ongoing staff feedback, including survey results, practitioner testimonials, manager endorsements, and cultural impact.

Members noted that Magic Notes complies with UK GDPR and the 2018 Data Protection Act. Officers explained that the system requires resident consent for AI-generated assessments; if consent is refused; traditional note-taking is used instead.

It was explained that while Magic Notes retains data for 30 days, in emergencies where access is unavailable, a designated senior officer can retrieve the data and continue the report.

Officers also highlighted an existing gender bias in AI-generated social care summaries and outlined Beam’s (Havering’s supplier) mitigation measures and evaluation plans.

Members questioned the potential for future biases. Officers acknowledged this risk and confirmed ongoing monitoring and evaluation.

Officers gave a five-minute demonstration of a resident–social worker conversation generating a Magic Notes EHCP report. Members questioned its clarity and were satisfied with the outcome. Officers agreed to review Magic Notes’ capabilities next year after gaining more experience with the tool.

Officers outlined Co-pilot’s functions and shared pilot phase results, noting time savings of up to 48 hours per month.

Officers explained that measurable time and cost savings from pilot users will inform a business case for potential wider rollout.

No recommendations were made.

Documents attached

The report updated the Committee on the impact of the NHS 10-Year Plan and ICB (Integrated Care Boards) running cost reductions on Havering Local Authority.

Members discussed the update, noting key considerations, risks, and implications for Havering.

No recommendations were made.

Cover report and exempt documents attached

Exempt discussion.