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By Will Sturgeon, 16 March 2004 13:55

NEWS The UK government has announced plans to further develop local e-government services beyond the already ambitious 2005 targets, which will see all public services available online.

In total, 34 local government projects will share £6.2m of match funding to develop new technology services aimed at improving the running of the UK e-government and increasing the interactivity of public services.

One project will offer virtual tours of empty council housing, parks, local shops and other community facilities for prospective tenants. Another service will provide SMS access to selected services for people living in remote rural areas.

The four main areas being addressed by the projects are bridging the digital divide; e-learning; emergent technologies for better government; and local authority e-business.

The breakdown of the grants will see more than £3m being invested in emergent technologies, while £675,000 will be invested in e-learning - the least-funded of the four areas.

Geographically the projects are widespread and will be taking place all over England, from Somerset to East Yorkshire and from Sussex to the Lake District.

Devon's SMS Access Channel In Rural Areas claims the smallest grant of £50,000, while Soho Wireless in London hit the jackpot with a £500,000 windfall.

Announcing the successful projects, Local e-Government Minister Phil Hope said: "E-Government is not just about computers or websites. It is about improving the way people use their local services and improving their experience of dealing with Government."

"I welcome these projects that complement the work of individual councils," he added in a statement.

Hope said collaboration between local authorities and the ability to roll out services on a nationwide scale once they prove successful locally is very promising for the future.

A second round of bidding for a share of the total £14m fund will take place in the autumn.