Government IT managers group Socitm believes that “a
significant slice” of the 2.5% efficiency gain the Treasury expects
local government to make can come from transferring contact with
the public to self-service websites.
The Public Sector Efficiency Review, prompted by last year’s
Gershon report, has created a new driver for council website
development, according to a Socitm briefing paper. It recommended
that councils exploit the efficiencies of "citizen self-service"
via websites.
“A significant slice of the annual 2.5% efficiency gain expected
of local authorities over the next three years could potentially
come from transferring activity from mediated services (in person
or on the phone) to self-service via websites,” the briefing
says.
But the paper adds that this goal can only be achieved if
websites have well-developed transactional capacities, are simple
to find and easy to use, and effectively promoted.
Council website development has been driven by the government
target to get services online before the end of the year and by the
priority outcomes set by the Office of the Deputy Prime
Minister.
The briefing draws on Socitm's lastest annual survey of council
websites to show how councils are using their websites to greatest
effect, what services they should consider putting online, and the
reasons people return to council websites they have used.
It also details the best performing councils' websites in
England and how well council websites are performing on priority
outcomes.