Herefordshire Council is showcasing how it uses technology to bring information and communities together in one of the most rural and dispersed populations in the country.
This week, at the prestigious local government conference in Bournemouth, the council will demonstrate to the rest of the UK a range of internet ‘community portals’ that enable citizens to access a variety of public service information at any time from home or from libraries, village halls, or even the pub.
Working with partners, Herefordshire Council has pioneered a county portal, a migrant workers’ website and a young people’s community website, as well as its own easy-to-use council web site.
Other local authorities, primary care trusts and police forces have expressed interest in Herefordshire’s unique migrant workers’ website - welcometoherefordshire.com - designed for those who have recently moved to the county from outside the UK.
It provides a wealth of information in Portuguese, Russian and Polish, as well as in English, to help people find their way around the county.
Informative, eye-catching and never dull, InSITE is the only online youth magazine in Herefordshire. Nationally acclaimed, it reflects the diversity of youth culture - produced by young people for young people, with young editors, reporters and design teams covering news, life, culture, sport and local issues.
Herefordshire’s community portal - myherefordshire.com - brings together a wealth of useful information from key organisations to support residents, tourists or businesses. Through the portal you can access information, events, advice and even public sector jobs in Herefordshire.
The council is also showing off its own web site - herefordshire.gov.uk – which has led the local government league table for website accessibility and quality.
Councillor Roger Phillips, leader of the council, said: “We are delighted to show the rest of the country how Herefordshire uses technology creatively, to bring people and information together, quickly and easily all in one place, to deliver access to public services anywhere, anytime, anyhow.
“Herefordshire is unique in the way that it works in partnership to provide technology in a way that empowers diverse communities, public sector agencies, charities and not-for-profit organisations”.
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