kevin Inskip

North Oxon

Business Development Consultant

It would be extremely informative to know how warwickshire has made such significant savings. Perhaps this would help all councils o emulate their success.

As to the problem of use of these web-based facillities there is not just one issue.

First there is promotion. You can develop and produce the best service or monumentally cost-saving product, but no-one will even look at it if they don't know it exists.

Second issue is wether it fulfils a need or want in the target market/community.

If the service replaces another well established way of the customer "doing business" with the council - does the new way offer an advantage or incentive for the user, does it make it easier.

In the 18 years I have lived at the same address I have always Paid rates/polltax/community charge/council tax using direct debit. It's easy, painless and one hard-copy comunication from the council per year is all I need. The only other things I have needed to "transact" with the council is a planning application - still requiring physical forms & paperwork, and largely handled by my designer anyway- and the need to book the occasional special collection of large houshold waste items (fridge etc). The latter is now easy to do on the website, but no easier than phoning the appropriate department and the difference in cost to me is simply the local phonecall.

what other services would be useful to me and save me time and money to access? I can't think of any, and to me this is the real problem.

I use the internet every day for research, communications and purchasing goods & services, but local government transactions? - I don't quite see it yet.