IfG.CC - The Potsdam eGovernment Competence Center

Deputy PM's new site connects up housing information and services

Two years after launching the Supporting People programme, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM) has launched a website to connect people to its housing information using an interface developed by Xansa, an IT integration and consultation specialist.

Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott launched the Supporting People programme in 2003 as a set of government services for providing housing to the 1.2 million people in the UK considered to be vulnerable, these include those who have suffered domestic violence, homelessness, ethnic minorities, those with mental health and ex-offenders. Supporting People is intended to be a central repository of information and support services that will help these people to improve the quality of their lives

The website of the same name (www.spkweb.org.uk) was developed by Xansa an IT consulting, implementation and outsourcing specialist listed on the London Stock Exchange. Commissioned in May 2004, the website was completed this October, the ODPM said it was happy with the length of time taken for the project.

Xansa will maintain the website for the next three years in a £1.85 million contract. Development of the site was carried out by information and technology professionals in the UK, despite Xansa specialising in outsourcing to India.

The Supporting People website aims to make the information that vulnerable people need easy to find using a searchable directory that includes a search within tool for drilling down into results. Users can also search by specific needs, geographical location and urgency.

Prescott's ODPM has achieved compliance with the Implementing e-Government (IEG) deadlines due in December with this website. The ODPM also polices e-government compliance. E-government is intended to connect information from government departments and local authorities. Supporting People also achieves government targets in the Modernising Government agenda and forms part of the government strategy to create Hub Services for information delivery.

Autor: Mark Chillingworth

Quelle: Information World Review, 01.11.2005