‘So if this is a testbed district,’ said Mrs Gregory, a middle-aged member of the local community, ‘does that make us guinea pigs?’

The small group were seated round a conference table in an office building in the heart of the city’s docklands.

‘No, no,’ Gavin said, flustered. He’d had high hopes for this meeting but five minutes in and he already felt he was on the back foot. Recently hired as the community liaison officer for the city’s smart docklands team, it had been made clear to him that the key expected outcome was to convince local residents that there was nothing to fear from the trialling of new technologies in their area and to get their buy-in. The last thing the local government or the companies involved needed now the initiative was well underway was community opposition or negative media coverage.

As with many new posts, he’d been hired on a rolling contract with continued employment dependent on performance. If he couldn’t pacify these community leaders and turn their scepticism into support, he could soon be looking for another job. Which would be disastrous given the cost of his rent and his student loans and credit card debts. ‘You’re definitely not guinea pigs.’

‘So, what are we then?’ Mrs Gregory asked.

‘You’re nothing. I mean, not nothing, obviously.’ Gavin glanced nervously at the other five attendees. ‘You’re community stakeholders.’

‘Stakeholders?’

‘In the area.’

‘But not in this so-called smart district?’

‘No, I mean, yes, in the smart city district.’

‘And the purpose of this district is?’ Ms Farrell, a woman in her late twenties, asked.

‘To trial new technologies. It’s a place where companies and local government can test technologies designed to improve city life. It’s all about creating new products and jobs, and enhancing how the city is managed.’

‘What kind of technologies? Nobody asked us about trialling new technologies.’

‘And if this a testbed, then we must be guinea pigs given we live here,’ Mr Logan, an older man, said.

‘Well …’ Gavin started to answer.

‘How long has the area been a testbed?’ Mrs Gregory asked.

‘Well … about three years,’ Gavin said reluctantly, aware of how his answer undermined his mission.

‘Three years?’ Ms Farrell said, her eyebrows shooting up.

‘And you’re only talking to the community now?’ Mrs Gregory said. ‘That doesn’t sound much like being a stakeholder!’