IfG.CC -
Institute for eGovernment

Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council has recently set out details of its progress in improving services using new technology, and additional money provided by central government in the past few years. The Council's Implementing Electronic Government submission to the Government shows where improvements have been made, and where further improvements will take place in the future. Commenting on the return, Council Leader Dennis Harvey said:

"The Council has invested around £1m in new technology over the past 3 years as part of our overall programme to improve services. This investment has provided:

• A local authority websites which people now use to pay their Council Tax and rent, obtain health and safety information, report repairs and obtain forms and general information.
• The facility for people to obtain forms for their Passport to Leisure electronically, and find out details of activities at our leisure centres.
• The opportunity for purchases to be made electronically by the Council, and for external organisations to do business with us, electronically, via our website.
• Improvements to our central telephone switchboard, so that people have their call answered more quickly, and are able to leave a voice mail message when an employee is out of the office."
• An ability for people to apply for jobs with the Council on-line - around 25% of our applications are now being made via the web".

Councillor Harvey also stressed that further improvements are planned over the next few months.

"New systems are being introduced in our Planning and Benefits Services, and these will allow us to speed up the processing of planning and benefits applications. These are service areas where we have not yet been able to meet Government targets, and whilst our employees are working hard to improve our performance, modern systems will allow them to do even better.

Over the past 2 years, the Council has received an extra £400,000 from the Government to help with its electronic service delivery plans. The Council is well on the way to achieving the 100% target, with over 50% of services already being on-line by March 2003.

The council has used IEG1 and IEG2 money to:

• develop property based information systems,
• improve telephone facilities for the public to reduce unanswered calls;
• take advantage of electronic procurement to reduce costs and simplify processes;
• improve networks and security arrangements to protect ICT investment;
• roll-out document management arrangements to provide a quicker customer service;
• further develop our website to achieve full transactional status;
• encourage on-line job applications;
• develop ICT competencies.
• enable 'remote' and homeworking.

In the future, the Council's IEG3 submission shows that its access channels strategy is to meet customer needs for service delivery by effective and appropriate methods. The telephone remains, and is likely to remain, the preferred method of communication. Recognising this:

• The Council is actively participating in Warwickshire OnLine Partnership to develop a contact centre approach to service delivery, by providing more accessible, convenient and customer centred services which will aim to deal with a majority of enquiries at the first point of contact. Face to face service provision will remain, with front line employees equipped with modern technology linking front and back office systems via secure and fast networks. However, benefits will need to be balanced carefully against costs.
• The Council anticipates that its website will achieve transactional status during the next assessment.
• All IT Legacy systems will be updated by 2005.
• Kiosk facilities are being developed throughout the Borough, in close consultation with key members of the local strategic partnership through a 'Silver Surfers' project which will also help promote social inclusion.

The Council supports the aims of the national strategy for local government:

• to transform services,
• to renew local democracy,
• to promote economic vitality

Investments in technology are delivering better services, using a partnership approach in key areas. A challenge remains one of ensuring that all sections of the Council's community have the opportunity, skills and confidence to benefit from developments in technology, and that its organisation works with partners to meet the needs of its customers by providing quality services that people use.

Quelle: PublicTechnology, 09.12.2003