Over £200k for council website
MORE than £200,000 has been splashed out on East Dunbartonshire Council's Internet website in the past three years.
Computer experts have confirmed to the Herald that a basic website – including important 'search engine optimisation' techniques – can be done for as cheaply as 400-700.
One East Dunbartonshire resident said: "That's absolutely scandalous. The website is hopeless. I'd rather speak to someone on the phone.
"After the disgrace at Christmas, I'd take the cash from the website and put it towards a decent phone network."
Independent councillor Charles Kennedy was similarly aghast at the sums spent.
A Freedom of Information request from the Herald found the "approximate" design and development costs for the council website since 2007 have totalled a wallet-busting 133,865.
Over the past two years simple hosting, licensing and maintenance costs of East Dunbartonshire Council's website have been 41,712.
The total "approximate" amount spent on the website by East Dunbartonshire Council is an eye-watering 202,155.
Cllr Kennedy said: "More than 200,000 on a website that by general consensus is not user friendly? That's staggering."
He has confirmed that a website he had set up for people in his constituency area – complete with links to relevant local and national organisations – cost only 600.
A council spokesperson said: "The current East Dunbartonshire Council website was launched in 2004.
"Since then technology has changed considerably, providing an opportunity for the council to redevelop its website to improve on current methods of communicating and delivering services to residents, local business and visitors.
"Our on-line services are being developed in such a way as to ensure they are accessible to all regardless of ability and to ensure that we comply with Disability Discrimination Act.
"The East Dunbartonshire Council website is, and will continue to be, developed as a community website and contains a host of information about local clubs, events and activities.
"The council offers as many services as possible through the website.
"For example, a shift of 50,000 transactions from face-to-face to web-service delivery could potentially achieve efficiency savings of 350,000 per annum.
"There are also environmental savings that could be achieved by reducing the number of un-necessary journeys by residents."
The council says there has been a significant increase in the number of online transactions by customers.
In the past year more than 3,400 requests for special uplifts were received through the council's website, approximately 700 roads service requests were made online and 20,429 customers used the website to make online payments for council services to the tune of over 3.4m.
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Saturday 11 February 2012
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