Parsol aims to do all the groundwork for local authorities, and offers products free of charge so they can provide faster services based on real-time online transactions. The national project board is confident online systems that allow the tracking of applications will also improve the openness of these procedures, therefore building public confidence in them.
"We have tried to identify where there are gaps in services to citizens and tried to build products that will plug those gaps," explains Parsol's programme manager, Stuart Melvin. "For example, at the moment there is really only general advice available on whether you need planning permission for a household extension. Our new systems will allow users to use the internet to ask that specific question, and they will get an answer they can print off."
For the enforcement of planning regulations, Parsol has developed systems that will enable citizens to report infringements and track the responses to their complaints.
In a bid to make life easier for businesses, Parsol has developed a web-based application that companies can use to assess if they have a complaint about regulations, such as those covering food and health safety. A number of these products are being piloted by local authorities, who are set to demonstrate them to others in their regions to promote wider take-up. Rochdale Metropolitan Borough council, for example, is piloting Parsol's new online licensing software for the submission and processing of a range of licensing applications.
"Parsol has done all the leg work for us. It's a self-contained product that lets you link to your own third-party software," says Ken Usman-Smith, principal technology manager for Rochdale's planning and regulatory services. "We can use it as a platform to build our services on and make sure it's broadly compatible with other authorities."
While Parsol is offering the software free, there is an implementation cost because councils have to ensure it is integrated with existing systems. According to the project team, 13 councils have implemented one or more of Parsol's products. Take-up is crucial to the success of the project. In October, a series of workshops are being held to promote the products.
Parsol is developing a central electronic exchange with seven local authorities and the Environment Agency. It is being used for planning applications in order that documents and data can instantly be made available online to external agencies that need to be consulted. "For the exchange to work, we need to build up the membership of the service. That is not going to happen overnight," says Melvin.
One of the project's key ambitions is to establish a more joined-up approach to initiating and tracking regulation and licensing applications. Andy Waren, the chair of the project, hopes to help standardise the approaches of local authorities to make dealings with local and central government easier. "We hope Parsol can offer an improvement on the existing systems," says Waren. "I think it is going to be a question of take-up by local authorities."
The Parsol project runs until March and has received more than £4.5m to achieve its objectives. The majority of national e-government projects have toolkits, but Parsol's software development work is a lot more advanced than many. More councils need to adopt the software and their staff need to appreciate the benefits of this new way of working. Furthermore, these new systems have to be communicated effectively to the public.
Clearly, some of the pilot councils are grateful for the support they are receiving. However, there is a long way to go before these processes are widely available online.
Autor: Justin Hunt
Quelle: Guardian, 02.09.2004
