AI platform to answer queries at Lancashire County Council

AI bots are to be deployed alongside call centre staff at Lancashire County Council to assist with answering residents’ queries.

The authority says the move will help make its services “more accessible” and “smoother” – but it has reassured locals that they will still be able to speak to a human if they choose.

The county council claims that the new set-up – billed by the company delivering it as a “digital front door” to County Hall – will also free-up staff to deal with more complex enquiries that need person-to-person interaction.

A contract has been awarded to customer engagement software provider Netcall which would be worth £4.3m if it runs to its maximum 10-year extent.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service understands that the arrangement will cost £311,000 for the next three years, with the authority then having the option to renew the deal annually for a further seven.

County Cllr David Dwyer, cabinet member for data, technology, customer and efficiency, said: “In November 2024, the council launched its new Digital Strategy setting out its six key ambitions – all of which relate to using digital technology as a catalyst for making Lancashire the best place to live and prosper.

“One of our key ambitions is to provide a great digital experience for residents, making our services more accessible, seamless and easy to use.

“This platform will help us to create smoother, more intuitive interactions with the council, offering access to services at times that suit our residents.

“It will enable us to move away from a traditional form-based approach, towards a modern service with central customer records to streamline our different digital portals.

“We will continue to offer non-digital routes into the council but for those residents who choose to use digital, it means we can reduce the reliance on telephony, freeing up staff to help residents who need support and help for more complex services.”

A spokesperson for Netcall says its platform will “reshape how residents and businesses access local services”.

“It will provide a multilingual, seamless engagement experience across voice, social media, in-person, and digital channels designed to eliminate confusion over local government structures and better connect people to the services they need.

“AI autonomous agents will support contact centre staff in answering customer queries, surfacing the right service routes and streamlining workflows so residents receive a smoother service and faster outcomes.

“With advanced AI-powered contact automation and AI autonomous agents, the platform can triage, route, and respond to queries in real time – helping residents access services faster while relieving pressure on council teams. Features such as natural language understanding, intelligent chatbots, and workflow automation will enable [the county council] to manage growing demand efficiently without sacrificing accessibility or inclusivity.

“Crucially, the platform also captures non-digital interactions, ensuring no resident is left behind as the council moves toward a more modern service model. Over time, AI-driven insights will support continuous improvement of services, while automation will reduce administrative burdens and free staff to focus on more complex resident needs.”