Councils claim they will meet on-line targets

10 Mar 05
Ninety-eight percent of local authorities say they will meet the government target of offering all their services on-line by the end of this year, according to the latest assessment.

11 March 2005

Ninety-eight percent of local authorities say they will meet the government target of offering all their services on-line by the end of this year, according to the latest assessment.

The second annual report on the national strategy for local e-government paints a rosy picture of progress towards the 2005 deadline, which was launched with much fanfare by Prime Minister Tony Blair in 2000.

But the study, based on councils' own Implementing Electronic Government statements submitted to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, also reveals that the average authority currently offers around 80% of its services electronically. Boosting that delivery rate to 100% by the December deadline is going to require a determined effort.

Forty-five authorities have sought assistance from the Implementation Support Unit, a local government and ODPM initiative set up to help councils struggling to meet the e-target.

Every English authority will receive a capital grant worth £150,000 in 2005/06 to encourage investment in on-line services to plug the remaining gaps. Councils are being urged to focus this on value-for-money initiatives that will help to meet the efficiency savings targets set for them under the Gershon programme.

Launching the report, local government minister Phil Hope said: 'The next 12 months must see us driving through the benefits of our investment.'

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