Hammersmith and Fulham Council is set to trial AI-powered note-taking tools to alleviate administrative burdens on staff, freeing them up for more valuable work. The initiative was discussed at the Policy and Oversight Board meeting on Monday, 24 November 2025, as part of a broader update on the council's governance and adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI) solutions.
The council is exploring how AI can translate service ambitions into practical outcomes, with a focus on experimentation and learning. According to the Update on AI Governance and Adoption report, Hammersmith and Fulham has shifted from isolated AI pilots to a strategic, business-case-driven approach since November 2024.
The AI-powered transcription and note-taking tools are being piloted in Adult Social Care (ASC) and Children's Services (CHS) to ease administrative burden, enhance meeting quality and free up staff for more value-adding work. The tools are being used to assist with tasks such as transcribing meetings and generating summaries, allowing staff to focus on direct service delivery.
The AI note-taking tools are part of a suite of productivity tools being piloted by the council. These include:
- Microsoft Copilot: A licensed version is being piloted across directorates to enhance productivity and innovation.
- Microsoft Copilot Chat: Provides all staff with secure, AI-powered assistance through the Microsoft Edge browser and M365 Office environment. Microsoft Copilot Chat is designed with robust data safeguards. It does not access internal systems or files unless users explicitly upload content, and all activity remains within the council's secure Microsoft tenancy.
- Copilot Studio Agents: These agents can autonomously initiate actions based on defined goals and adapt to changing conditions.
The council's report stated that a Microsoft Teams Premium pilot with 60 staff from Adult Social Care (ASC) and Children's Services (CHS) concluded in May 2025. The evaluation identified tangible benefits including:
- Time savings of 1–5 hours per week depending on job role and meeting complexity
- Improved meeting quality: Managers reported better chairing and more focused conversations due to reduced distraction from manual notetaking
- Better supervision and 1:1s: Described by some as a
administrative assistant,
Teams Premium helped streamline documentation and followup - Cost efficiencies compared with both licenced Copilot and external commercial tools
The council is also embedding AI capabilities across Hammersmith and Fulham through new supplier partnerships and enhancements to existing line-of-business-systems (LOBs). These include the Resident Experience and Access Programme (REAP Accelerate), Fraud, Error and Recovery Data hub (FRED), VoiceScape, and Housing Complaints AI Automation.
The Update on AI Governance and Adoption report also identifies risks and implemented targeted mitigations, including data readiness, siloed adoption, vendor-driven AI features, workforce upskilling, return on investment (ROI) and effective cost control, reputational damage, and service strategy alignment.
The council has embedded AI governance into Digital Services' Project Management Office (PMO) processes, introducing an enhanced AI Risk Assessment, mandatory for all AI functionalities. New and existing AI tools are reviewed under the framework, with the Generative AI working group providing oversight, evaluating business cases, and ensuring risks and mitigations are addressed prior to deployment.
A senior officer-led Ethics Board provides independent oversight for AI adoption, particularly where there is resident impact. Board members have expertise in Law, IT, Information Governance, Public Health, Social Care and HR, ensuring that all large-scale AI deployments are evaluated ethically and risk assessed before implementation.