E-government

Taking the 'e' out of e-government: Where do we go from here?

The 2005 e-government deadline has now passed and, since its introduction, attitudes towards e-government, amongst both local authorities and the wider citizen community, have matured significantly. So much so that the culture of government has evolved, as has the way citizens consume services - it has changed considerably and e-government is now the norm for many.

According to the Cabinet Office, 97% of all services were available online by the end of 2005 and so it seems that local councils are very much on course. Using services online has increased significantly - 79% of vehicle registrations are now filed electronically, more than 60,000 claims have been issued using the court service's Money Claim Online and the number of tax returns filed online has doubled in a year.

The government has done what it set out to achieve by setting the e-government wheels in motion and now it should leave individual local councils to respond appropriately to meet the needs of its citizens. One concern remains however - if local councils no longer have a target to work to, is there a danger that authorities will become complacent?

ntl:Telewest Business has extensive experience of working with local councils on a day-to-day basis and is aware from customer feedback that the concept of e-government is now firmly embedded in our culture. There is an understanding that investment doesn’t stop here but government bodies do need to continue to build on the hard work and foundations that have already been laid. They need to share expertise and best practice, maintain awareness of, and continue to invest in new technologies to improve citizen experience and understanding.

Following the findings of the roundtable debate chaired by ntl Business earlier this year, citizens are more aware of e-services than ever before but increased awareness and understanding is still key. It is also important to remember that ‘e-government’ is about citizens too, not simply about councils hitting government targets; and citizens need to be continually educated about what is available to them and how they can benefit from modern and developing technologies.

This can be accomplished in many different ways, whether that be through a local newsletter making reference to a council website or organised discussion groups structured to provide information about local access points. Citizens need to be assured that there will also be advisors at hand for example and, even more importantly where the access points are. Local meetings and focus groups are also an effective way of bringing people together to identify opportunities and discuss gaps in society. The digital divide could be lessened in this way, encouraging an increase in joined up thinking and encouraging social inclusion.

e-government is now the norm and e-government is government. The aim now is to ensure we don’t undo the hard work that has achieved such strong results and to move forward with developing technologies to make sure the public benefit from the services readily available to them.