Rochford District Council has been singled out for praise in a national report into more than 450 local government websites.
The Council’s website at www.rochford.gov.uk was commended for the information provided on rubbish collection and was one of only 26 councils who were recognised for their easy to use A-to-Z list.
Overall the Council’s website has been awarded ‘3 Star’ status for the third year in a row and has improved on last year’s score according to the Society of Information Technology Management (Socitm) who surveyed 479 council websites across the country.
The Socitm ranking system covers four tiers:
• 4 Star
• 3 Star
• 2 Star
• 1 Star
Rochford District Council’s website met stringent criteria and has been classed as ’3 Star’, narrowly missing out on 4 Stars.
Socitm states that a ‘3 Star’ grading means a website must “offer a compelling user experience. Such sites demand attention for their accessibility, completeness, thoughtfulness and coherence”.
The rating also means a citizen, business or organisation can not only find information on the website easily, but also use a full range of online forms for reporting, applications and payments.
The purpose of the report is to find good practice as local authority websites progress. The report also provides an up to date view of the experience members of the public are likely to have when using a council website.
Rochford District Council’s website provides many services. Residents can use it to apply for planning permission, pay council tax and business rates, report graffiti, or even pay a parking penalty.
Rochford District Council’s Portfolio Holder for Service Development/Improvement & Performance Management, Councillor Mrs Mavis Webster, said: “It’s fantastic news that a high-profile organisation such as the Society of Information Technology Management has recognised the continuing improvements to our website.
All the work we do to the website is geared towards improving access to services for our residents. We hope the public continue to let us know what other improvements they would like to see, they can do this by using the ‘Contact the Council’ option on the front page of our website at www.rochford.gov.uk. “
