Next phase of work to drive take-up of
local authority e-channels
The ODPM have announced that Norwich City Council will receive £500,000 to
roll out the findings from the first phase of e-citizen. This will include a
series of regional events for senior local authority communications and
marketing staff in 2006, a comprehensive 'how to' guide to driving take-up,
plus full support and back-up via www.e-citizen.gov.uk.
Norman Mellor, Head of Communications & Research at Norwich City Council,
and Programme Director of e-citizen commented, "It is fantastic that the ODPM
is supporting the work of local authorities in driving take-up of their
e-channels. The first phase of e-citizen proved that there are millions of
people in England who want to contact their local authority via, for example
websites. The main reason they don't is simply because they do not know these
e-channels exist. The aim of phase 2 of e-citizen, e-citizen LIVE, is to share
the findings from the earlier work. It will also provide marketing and
communications staff within local authorities with the arguments and
justification they need to convince their colleagues and members that effective
promotion and publicity is essential if we are to encourage citizens to use
e-channels".