Learn to love the web, councils chiefs told

Local authorities chiefs must become more committed to online services if they are to fully take advantage of the technology.

Councils could generate greater savings and efficiencies through online services according to a report from Socitm, the association for public sector IT managers.

The report suggests the reason behind the relatively low uptake of online service within local government is a lack of corporate commitment.

Martin Greenwood, Socitm Insight programme manager, told silicon.com: "The potential of investment has not yet been fully realised by a long way."

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The report suggests council decision makers don't understand website usage patterns or the extent to which the public has moved to the internet and mobile technology.

Soctim said this means local councils are failing to encourage customers to switch to online services from more traditional channels.

The report said: "It seems likely that many key decision-makers in councils, including elected members, senior managers, and service managers, do not really appreciate how far or how fast citizens have migrated to the internet (and mobile phones, messaging and texting) for all types of information and services."

Greenwood said: "I don't think it's a lack of knowledge, it's perhaps lack of proper commitment."

The report highlights several projects that have used web statistics to fully realise the potential of online council services.

Leicester City Council began to focus on online recruitment after discovering more people viewed its website than read the local paper.

This change has contributed to a £1m per year cost saving, with 85 per cent of job applications now submitted online.

Other successes highlighted by the report include online ordering of recycling bins in South Oxfordshire and pay-by-phone parking in Westminster.