Councils urged to share Web sites

UK Authority.

Self-service and shared services should go hand in hand to improve council Web sites, the briefing from Socitm Insight concludes.

However, it notes that few councils are putting the two approaches together in a way that could speed improvement of council Web sites, says author Martin Greenwood in Better connected 2011, the latest edition of Socitm's annual report on council Web sites.

According to V3.co.uk, more councils need to combine the benefits of customer self-service and shared ICT services by sharing each other's Web content and resources, in order to survive in the face of serious budget cuts, a new report from Socitm concludes.

The public sector IT association's Better websites: sharing content, applications and resources briefing argues that few councils have realised the benefits in terms of cost cutting and improved content management that joining these two approaches could bring.

Shared A to Z lists could help create a more consistent user experience as well as helping to reduce the burden of keeping up to date with this content, said the report.

Computerworld says sharing applications such as job search, school/youth services, planning, and council tax could not only cut costs, but make it easier for citizens to serve themselves, according to Socitm.

In a new briefing, Socitm also says local councils can use major government Web sites such as Directgov, Businesslink and NHS Choices to bolster content.