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Local government should not only be providing information through websites but using them to do business with customers.
The vast majority of services are delivered at a local level. Unitary, county, district and borough levels of local government, working together, provide over 700 services. If the government’s vision for a modernised, e-enabled government is to be realised, then local government websites have a major part to play.
Providing services through websites and other digital channels is already providing the following benefits to citizens and government. Online services can:
The 2005 target requires that the services provided by local government are available electronically. Making services available through the Internet means that they are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and in a cost-effective manner.
This performance indicator measures progress towards the 100% e-enablement of appropriate public service interactions. It might be helpful to first target those services that are most in demand by local people, or which will bring the greatest benefits in terms of improved efficiency or cost-effectiveness. Don’t reinvent the wheel. See if a neighbouring authority already provides the service you want to e-enable. You may find that collaboration with another authority or the Government Gateway can also help solve particular issues. The Improvement and Development Agency’s ESD Toolkit can also provide assistance in the corporate measurement of BVPI 157 (www.esd-toolkit.org).
http://www.esd-toolkit.org [external link]
The real aim is not just to meet the BVPI 157 indicator but, by so doing, to provide services that people will want to use.
The Internet will provide opportunities, not only for e-voting, but also for consultation. You may want your website to offer interactive features, such as online questionnaires and discussion groups.
In the service of democracy, a consultation paper on policy for electronic democracy, has been launched at:
http://www.edemocracy.gov.uk [external link]
www.localegov.gov.uk is the national strategy for local e-government. It states key policy objectives for local e-government, and sets out the means by which they may be achieved. This document is available from:
http://www.localegov.gov.uk [external link]
The strategy envisages that by the end of 2005 all local services will be:
The Audit Commission carries out best value inspections. For more information visit:
www.audit-commission.gov.uk/index.asp [external link]
The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is now responsible for best value in local government. Part of its website is devoted to best value. Visit:
http://www.local-regions.odpm.gov.uk/bestvalue/bvindex.htm [external link]
The ODPM Local Government Performance Site provides data on best value indicators for all authorities as well as information on local authority Comprehensive Performance Assessment (CPA) results. The service is available from:
http://www.bvpi.gov.uk [external link]
Details about the National Strategy for local e-government are available from:
http://www.localegov.gov.uk [external link]
Improvement & Development Agency (IDeA) has many publications about best value and e-services:
Making Best Value Work:
http://www.idea.gov.uk/publications/ct0022.htm [external link]
Join the club? benchmarking for best value:
http://www.idea.gov.uk/bestvalue/index.php?id=join_the_club [external link]
IDeA has also developed an electronic service delivery toolkit:
http://www.esd-toolkit.org [external link]
The Local Government Association (LGA) has published the paper Implementation of electronic voting in the UK, available at:
http://www.lga.gov.uk/Publication.asp?lsection=28&id=SXB6BB-A780E953&ccat=28 [external link]
The LGA has also published a report called OK Computer? illustrating how e-government will impact on the work of local government by 2005. Information about this report is also available from:
http://www.lga.gov.uk/Publication.asp?lsection=28&id=SXC20F-A7805F16 [external link]
In the service of democracy, a consultation paper on policy for electronic democracy:
http://www.edemocracy.gov.uk [external link]