Councils have been told to ignore technology and concentrate on
reshaping communities as they effect the shift to e-government, in
a new report from The Society of Local Authority Chief Executives
and Senior Managers (SOLACE).
Entitled "Sing When You're Winning", the report was created by a
think-tank of local council chief executives led by SOLACE
president and Ipswich borough council chief executive James
Hehir.
Hehir's team have produced a document that offers council chief
executives practical guidance on implementing e-government and
meeting Tony Blair's electronic service delivery targets.
Hehir said e-government "will reinvigorate the role of the council
as community leader."
The process, "gives councils the opportunity to be innovative in
delivering better services and supporting their local communities,"
he added.
The SOLACE publication calls for vision and leadership from council
executives and for the integration of e-government into corporate
management structures.
Strategies should be focused on improving efficiency and
effectiveness through organisation and sound business processes and
councils must examine whether staff and infrastructure can deal
with the demands of e-targets.
"Sing When You're Winning" also calls for an information management
strategy that consolidates all the council's information and puts
it under professional control and for a communications strategy to
explain e-government to citizens, staff and stakeholders.
The report stresses the importance of monitoring and reviewing
e-government strategy with measurable outcomes and strong lines of
accountability and affirms the benefits of working in partnership
with other councils, local businesses and other stakeholders.
Launching the report, James Hehir said, "Doing nothing is not an
option. Failure to meet the challenge will lead to councils
becoming beleaguered and inefficient organisations at odds with the
communities they serve."
Bruce Ackland