Promoting digital administration to increase cost-effectiveness, operational reliability and equality among different actors in democratic decision-making

The coronavirus pandemic has accelerated digitalisation, as administrative costs for seminars, meals and facility use, for example, have fallen significantly. Currently, for example, the cost of a two-day council seminar in Tuusula is approximately €300 per councillor in a double room. In addition to this, there are numerous meetings, committees and seminars that generate costs.

In Kauniainen and many other municipalities, for example, elected officials and civil servants are free to choose the most suitable way for them to participate in meetings or seminars. The existence of this digital option in no way prevents them from attending in person whenever they wish. Tuusula should also have modern operating methods and administration in line with the demands of today’s working and family life.

Digital tools are already in place (Teams, Case m) and have been used successfully since early 2020. Documents and training materials are available in digital format. The necessary equipment is available at the conference venues, and everything can be produced using the existing tools already in use, meaning that continuing with the current hybrid conference and seminar system will not incur any significant additional costs.

The diverse opportunities for participation created by digital tools ensure that people in different life situations can participate as effectively as possible in administrative activities. Elected representatives who have families or demanding jobs, for example, must also be able to exercise their democratic participation opportunities in a modern way, as is the case in workplaces and elsewhere in society.

The existence of these digital participation opportunities would significantly reduce costs in the long term, enable uninterrupted operations in all special situations such as the coronavirus pandemic, and increase the opportunities for elected officials to participate in family life, working life and in the event of possible long-term illnesses. Remote participation based solely on illness or a decision to place a person in quarantine is not a solution that complies with personal data protection or good practice, as it places the person in a position where it is very obvious that they have COVID-19 or another illness that has necessitated remote participation. It is not legally permissible to require elected representatives to disclose confidential health information in order to enable remote participation. For this reason, equal opportunities for remote participation must be available to both civil servants and elected officials.

In order to enable equal governance, council initiatives should also be modernised and brought into line with contemporary needs. Based on my preliminary assessment, a digital platform for council initiatives could be set up without significant additional costs and would enable the initiatives to be clearly visible to all parties involved even before the council meeting, and it would also be easier to identify the initiator and supporters of the initiative and enter them correctly into the system.

I propose that the cost implications of digital participation be investigated and that the possibility of submitting council initiatives on a digital platform be explored, so that they are available before the council meeting. I propose that remote participation, a hybrid model and the possibility of holding meetings entirely remotely continue to be enabled with the current tools, as Tuusula must be a modern, bold and contemporary working and operating environment that is suitable for people in different life situations.

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