Press release: Excellent hat trick for County Council website

Monday 8 March 2010

A website designed to make it easier for residents to access Council services and information has been hailed as one of the best in the UK for the third year in a row.

East Sussex County Council's website – www.eastsussex.gov.uk – has retained its ‘excellent' rating and received four stars from the Society of IT Managers (SOCITM). The 2010 rating follows top scores in 2008 and 2009 for the East Sussex site.

Three other County Council websites plus seven other local authority sites in the UK, out of a total of 479 council sites which were scrutinised by SOCITM, have joined East Sussex on the four-star list for 2010.

In its ‘Better Connected' report, SOCITM hailed the East Sussex County Council site as a “masterclass in how to run a local government website”. The report praised the quality and clarity of site content, navigation and search and commented on the ease with which the most popular information and online transactions can be found.

Commenting on the SOCITM success, County Council Leader Peter Jones said: “To be told in one year that we have one of the best council websites in the country is fantastic news but to be given that accolade three years in a row is a stunning achievement. We've had lots of positive feedback from people about the site and we'll continue to look at ways to develop it with our residents' needs first and foremost in our minds.”

The 2010 SOCITM report praises the Council website for its sections on schools information, in particular the tool that allows residents to find information about their nearest school. This was flagged by SOCITM as good practice along with sections setting out how residents can get involved in their community through volunteering, sports, community safety and the arts.

The site is also recognised as strong on accessibility as East Sussex is one of only two councils to carry the Royal National Institute for the Blind's (RNIB) prestigious 'See It Right' logo for accessibility. The logo demonstrates the Council's commitment to website access for all users regardless of their abilities or the technology they use.

The four-star council websites list for 2010 is:

  • Buckinghamshire CC
  • Cambridgeshire CC
  • East Sussex CC
  • Oxfordshire CC
  • Allerdale BC
  • Brent
  • Exeter City
  • Newcastle Upon Tyne City
  • Salford City
  • South Tyneside MBCand
  • Worthing BC.
Reference: 2736

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