The so-called blogs – personal online diaries – offer residents a chance to access information, put forward views, ask questions and get responses via the internet.
The Allerdale weblog – www.allerdale.gov.uk/blogger – can also be accessed by disabled users.
The blog pages contain council information, feedback from visitors and responses from councillors.
It is aimed to engage residents, particularly young residents, in local democracy.
Councillor Phil Tibble, executive member with responsibility for E-government, has become a regular user. He said: “As a council we need to be aware of the views of our residents on all issues.
“The weblog is perhaps the modern equivalent of the soapbox and, hopefully, will engage with residents who use technology routinely – especially, I think, young people.”
The first entry was posted back in October and it is updated regularly.
The weblog has been used to cover a range of events including Local Democracy Week and new developments in Workington town centre.
Also, as part of the countdown to the Christmas period, it currently features an online advent calendar with daily tips about festive recycling.
This includes details of new plastic bottle banks in the borough and how to recycle Christmas trees, mistletoe and holly branches.
The weblog pages have also been used to inform residents of a new internet service available at Allerdale House.
The big blue kiosk in reception, gives free access to the council website and some other sites.
Visitors can also use it to pay household bills and complete forms online.
This means that even those without internet access at home can visit the weblog pages and leave feedback.
Autor: Pamela McGowan
Quelle: News & Star, 17.12.2005
