The Digital Taskforce

In August 2017, the Digital Taskforce was established by Kevin Stewart MSP, Minister for Local Government, Housing and Planning to inform, shape and guide an ambitious programme of digital transformation in the Scottish planning system.

The idea of establishing a Digital Taskforce was first put forward in mid-2016 by the independent panel appointed to review the Scottish planning system.

The panel suggested that technology and data should be harnessed to make the planning system more accessible and responsive to ‘live’ information, and that an IT taskforce should be established to guide and explore this.

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Membership

Digital Taskforce membership is comprised of a mixture of professional planners, individuals with a background in local government and economic development, and those with a reputation for innovative and transformative thinking both in the technology sector and beyond.

They were brought together to create an environment which fosters new and innovative ideas, based on years of experience and expertise in a number of different fields.

A list of members can be found below.

• Kevin Stewart MSP, Minister for Local Government, Housing and Planning
• Petra Biberbach, PAS
• Paul Cackette, Scottish Government
• Colin Cook, Scottish Government
• Paul Dodd, Scottish Futures Trust
• Alexander Holt, CivTech
• Peter McColl, Snook
• John McNairney, Scottish Government
• David Miller, James Hutton Research Institute
• Alastair Parvin, Open Systems Lab
• Robin Presswood, Dundee City Council
• Liz Pringle, Scottish Government
• Douglas Pritchard, John Hopkins University
• Lisa Proudfoot, Scottish Young Planners Network
• Ritchie Somerville, University of Edinburgh
• Kenny Steele, Pinnacle Visualisations
• Martyn Wallace, Local Government Digital Office
• Stefan Webb, Future Cities Catapult