Raymond Lamphen’s ADSO speech on digitalisation and transparency

During the annual ADSO dinner, Arbor COO Raymond Lamphen shared his vision for the future of open, digital democracy. He spoke about the power of combining human connection with technology, and how openness builds trust and participation in local decision-making.

Below you can read the full speech as delivered at the event.

”Thank you Mr Austin, John for inviting me on stage.

Good evening Ladies and Gentlemen.

Let me first introduce myself. I am Raymond Lamphen, Arbor COO. I am here together with my colleagues David and Geert.

I hope you are having a great time in this amazing dinner.

The reason I chose to stand here today is to share a piece of my dream.

It is not common for a Dutch person to stand on a stage and talk about dreams, especially to a British audience.
But I believe that is exactly what can make an impact today.

To open up.

Open up is what makes a difference everywhere in the world today with so much happening.

Think about your own everyday reality as clerks. Whether it is the UK, the Netherlands, the US or Canada.

You manage long agendas, extensive documentation and meetings that often stretch late into the night.
At the same time, you are expected to provide transparency by livestreaming your work, to make recordings accessible on demand, to ensure subtitles for inclusivity, and to support hybrid participation so that no one is left behind.

The workload is heavy, and you carry the dual responsibility of governing while also keeping public engagement open and reliable.

Digitalisation is both the solution and the fear.

Some of you may worry that technology will one day replace people.
But if you have ever sat through a council meeting, you know there is no machine clever enough to replace humans.

What digitalisation can do, however, is take away the friction.
It can handle the routine and the technical, so that you can focus on what truly matters: connecting with each other, listening, disagreeing with respect, and ultimately making decisions that affect real lives.

Technology on its own is cold.
People on their own are overwhelmed.
But when the two work together, something powerful happens.
Space opens up for trust, for participation, for empowerment.
And that, I believe, is where the real future lies.

And that dream I spoke of is really quite simple.
When you dare to open up, when you use digital tools not to replace yourselves but to give you more space to be human, something changes.
Communities feel heard.
Trust grows.
Participation stops being a box to tick and becomes a living, breathing part of democracy.

So tonight, among winners and dreamers, I want to leave you with this.
Technology may carry the voice, but it is you who give it meaning.
And when people can access the conversations that shape their daily lives, when meetings are open, transparent and shared beyond the walls of the chamber, trust begins to grow.

If you keep that balance right, you will not only manage your workflows, you will create a culture where citizens feel part of the process.

That is how you empower each other to build the kind of society we all want to live in.

Thank you.”