Patrick Clark, Programme Manager for the Local Directgov Programme says: “I would like to congratulate everyone involved in the first phase of the Local Directgov Programme – whether from local government, central government or an expert supplier. This started as an ambitious vision, with many sceptics and detractors. Now it is an up-and-running system with clear benefits to both Local Authorities and citizens.
We hear more from Local Authorities on their experiences of engaging with the Programme, their plans and hopes for the next phase, and exactly what e-enablement of their services means for their staff and customers.
The Local Directgov Programme is encouraging social inclusion and opening up opportunities for new users says Jerry Fisher, Communications Manager, Surrey Heath Borough Council
“The Local Directgov Programme offers the potential to reach a new type of user. It can provide another channel of choice to citizens. It carries the promise of accessible services for all, and I find that really compelling. Opening up new channels is not just about another way to reach those who are already e-enabled, it is about creating ways to engage a different audience, ways to engage people who are not already accessing services on our borough website. It is a means for increasing social inclusion.
The Programme will give us a wider reach and push new users through to our website. Once new users are carried through to our site and services, I hope that they will discover other events, services and facilities. Ultimately, my hope is that we will gain extra business through it, because we are serving customers better.
I also think there will be significant efficiency gains for us, as a result of using this new method. If we can gain new electronic users and encourage more people to cross over from the traditional means of communication with us such as telephone or face-to-face contact, we will be able to make time and cost savings, and re-concentrate our resources to where they are needed most.”
Now is the time for encouraging take-up and making our hard work in preparing and e-enabling services count says Roger Luff, ICT Strategy & Best Value Manager, Dudley Metropolitan District Council
“Improving take-up is a priority for us now and we are developing a local campaign to promote www.dudley.gov.uk which will fit with the national drive to get more people accessing government online. Once visitors log onto our website, my hope is that they may also discover different services, or features they didn’t know about. If someone logs onto Directgov and gets carried through to our site in order to pay their council tax online, they may also see a local event advertised that they wish to go to. Getting more users to access our website is a great opportunity for self-promotion. Once people have enjoyed one successful visit, they are likely to return to the website again and again.
As a Council, we are really driving forward self-service. This is not just about efficiency, it is also about our effectiveness in serving people. We are aiming to reduce physical contact where possible, whilst making our online services more readily available and offering 24 hour contact with our services and information via the website.
Up until now, we have been building the infrastructural foundations for this, but during 2006, I believe we will be moving beyond meeting these targets as Local Authorities, and transitioning towards the benefits. The Directgov Programme will help us to achieve take-up locally, in step with the national take-up drive.”
Robert Snell, e-Government Manager for Ipswich Borough Council believes the Local Directgov Programme will improve coherence and create a smoother user journey for citizens
“Often, people are unsure as to whether their enquiry can be resolved through Central Government or their Local Authority. Given that almost 80% of all Government services are provided locally, the introduction of the Local Directgov Programme will provide Ipswich residents with an effective two-pronged route which will serve them better. They will be navigated either to central government services or, to services provided closer-to-home by Local Authority Officers within their own community.
At Ipswich, we are proud of our reputation for putting our customers first. Different people have different needs when it comes to getting access to information. We are now able to offer a wide variety of online transaction services on our website, for instance, twenty-five percent of all leisure and theatre bookings are now taken online. I believe the Local Directgov Programme can continue to improve our service by increasing traffic to our website and enhancing awareness of our available online services.
The Council’s involvement with the Local Directgov Programme is enhancing our current approach to internet service provision, helping us to meet the challenge of providing a first-class service to people from whatever point of contact they choose, locally or globally."
The Local Directgov Programme is continuing to engage with all English Local Authorities from now until 17th March 2006 to collect a further, fuller set of data, in order to continue creating links between Directgov and Local Authority websites. Whilst, this second phase is expected to prove very simple now that all the ground-work has been done by Local Authorities in Phase1, the Local Directgov Programme will continue to provide a number of resources and support mechanisms to assist Local Authorities throughout Phase 2.
The Programme’s Engagement Support Officers will also continue to be ‘on hand’ to practically help any staff wherever necessary, and will be making contact with every Local Authority assigned to their region, regarding this next stage. The Local Directgov Programme’s “How To” Guide is also available as an online support to staff, with easy to use fact sheets for trouble-shooting and support. They have recently been revised and updated and are now available at www.ldghowto.org.uk.
For further information on the Local Directgov Programme, please contact:
- email: Diese E-Mail-Adresse ist vor Spambots geschützt! Zur Anzeige muss JavaScript eingeschaltet sein!
- visit: www.localegov.gov.uk/localdirectgov
- tel: 0845 6017848
You can visit www.localdirectgovhelp.info
For further details on events to assist you, please visit www.localegov.gov.uk/events.
Quelle: Publictechnology, 28.02.2006
