One-third of the UK's 467 councils have significantly improved their websites over the past 12 months, according to an annual survey out tomorrow. The Better Connected survey, published by the Society of IT Management (Socitm), a professional organisation for local public sector technology bosses, examines every local authority site. It found that 10 councils have reached its top level of attainment (see box), compared with four last year.
"There's definitely been significant improvements this year," says Martin Greenwood, the report's programme manager. "There are far fewer councils that aren't treating website management reasonably seriously, although a lot aren't resourcing it properly."
Just 20% have the lowest "promotional" rank, down from 34% a year ago. And the four councils without a web-site last year have finally gone online: 40% were offline when the survey started in 1999. Last year, Stroud district council's website was classified as promotional - but this year, it leapt to the top rating. "It's down to management commitment," says Stroud's public relations officer David Marshall.
David Hagg, its chief executive, moved to Stroud 18 months ago from Tameside, east of Manchester, the first council to win the top category in 2001. Stroud staff visited Tameside when setting up the new site. Marshall's department manages the site, through the council's webmaster, Kylie Gibbon. She joined the council in July, its first full-timer in this role, having worked for a dotcom firm in her native New Zealand.
She edits material supplied by 21 coordinators throughout the council. This includes the council's 950 frequently asked questions (FAQs), based largely on queries each department received by phone or letter. Review dates, built into the content management, must be edited at least every six months. Gibbons also gets the results of a facility allowing users to rate the material.
Judy Balfe, senior administrative officer for the housing department, says her ratings have been positive so far. She adds that the FAQs allow her to help callers when they ask about other areas such as planning: previously, she had to try to find the right officer.
Now, she can get the answer herself, through the website questions. Wrexham county borough council is also celebrating its top status - the first council outside England to win this rating. Its rise has been more gradual, having twice won Socitm's award for best Welsh site. In July, however, Wrexham became the first council in the UK to win See it Right accreditation for website accessibility from the Royal National Institute of the Blind.
The council also offers every page in Welsh and English: 14% of its population speak Welsh as their first language. "We wanted a website that was accessible to as many people as we could manage," says chief information systems officer Dave Hylands, whose department runs the site.
Helping the visually impaired can be simple. On the top left of every page is a white-on-white internal link to the page's specific contents. This means that users of software that converts text to spoken words can skip the navigational links repeated on every page. Such software also reads out ALT tags, the written alternatives that can be given to pictures - you can see these if you stop your browser downloading images - so these must be in place and of use.
"We had to look at maps, and how we could deliver them in a text-only format," says web development manager Duncan Hield. This is done by giving such maps extended ALT tags, describing the contents in depth. "And we had to simplify the HTML structure. I think it also helped the overall design," he adds.
This means dark text on a white background, sparing use of graphics and no use of Flash or pop-up menus. The site links to external, free translation services and may provide more translations in future, depending on the results of the 2001 census. The Socitm survey praises Wrexham's homepage, and its permanent urgent news section, in case of floods or other emergencies. Hield is on the town's emergency planning team, and can be called at any time to update the section remotely. Both Stroud and Wrexham accept online payments: in Wrexham's case, for gas, water, council tax and rent.
"Wrexham has had relationships with Dee Valley Water and North Wales Gas for years," says Hylands.
"It was logical to continue to allow that facility." Both councils allow credit and debit card payments, despite the fact that banks usually charge significantly more for processing credit cards. However, this is not costing too much. Wrexham - which took £70,000 online in January - found that only a quarter of payments came through credit cards. For Stroud it was a third.
Stroud also provides account data: entering a council tax bill number shows when and how your payments have been made, using an XML link to the council's database. Information systems manager Andrew Pain says that as these accounts do not show personal data, they do not need authentication. If they did, however, he could manage that: his department produces digital certificates, allowing councillors access to private documents, saving about £800 a year. Both councils believe authentication is the key to providing better services, but are unclear as to what method will work best.
Ten for transactions
The following council websites won or retained the Better Connected survey's highest "transactional" status, meaning they provide several kinds of interactive service, make widespread use of databases and online form-filling, provide good links to relevant government services and offer excellent information.
* Birmingham city (new), www.birmingham.gov.uk
* Camden London borough (first won 2002), www.camden.gov.uk
* Hertfordshire county (first won 2002), www.hertsdirect.org
* Maidstone borough (new), www.maidstone.gov.uk
* Stroud district (new), www.stroud.gov.uk
* Sunderland city (new), www.sunderland.gov.uk
* Tameside metropolitan borough (first won 2001), www.tameside.gov.uk
* Wandsworth London borough (new), www.wandsworth.gov.uk
* Westminster London borough (first won 2002), www.westminster.gov.uk
* Wrexham county borough (new), www.wrexham.gov.uk
Source: <A HREF="http://www.socitm.gov.uk"" TARGET="_NEW">www.socitm.gov.uk
