somerset in news
RSS somerset in newsBiometrics cut pub brawls by a quarter
News A biometric scheme that scans drinkers' thumbprints before they enter a pub has helped cut alcohol-related crime in the South Somerset town of Yeovil. South Somerset District Council said it has seen a 23.5 per cent drop in alcohol-related violent... [24 Oct 2006]
More money for high-tech road pricing
News Bristol City Council, Bath and North East Council, North Somerset Council and South Gloucestershire Council Seven local authorities are sharing £7m to explore ways to tackle local congestion and help develop government plans on road pricing. [29 Nov 2005]
Council chief gets call centre job
News The exercise isn't due to a sudden staff shortage in West Somerset District Council's call centre but a PR stunt to raise awareness of the work of staff for National Customer Service Week, which starts on 3 October. [30 Sep 2005]
Pay-as-you-drive road tax: Best of Reader Comments
News John Beardon, and IT company director in Somerset, said: "People drive out of necessity. The silicon.com virtual mailbag has been overflowing with irate reader comments this week in response to Transport Secretary Alistair Darling's announcement... [10 Jun 2005]
Police eye high-tech helicopter camera in the sky
News The force has shared the police helicopter with Avon and Somerset Constabulary for some time but the 'Heli-tele' service was enabled by a new high-speed converged IP network. Gloucestershire Constabulary are using high-speed communications... [27 May 2005]
Somerset Council shells out £1.2m for new HR system
News Somerset County Council is investing in the improvement of its human resources operations. Chris Bilsland, Somerset's corporate director, said in a statement that Trent meets the council's need to improve HR management and service delivery as well... [09 Aug 2004]
UK innovators to share £6.2m e-gov kitty
News 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. The UK government has announced plans to further develop local e-government services beyond... [16 Mar 2004]
BT downplays £80m West country wireless broadband plan
News According to e-Government Bulletin, the six councils - Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Gloucestershire, Somerset and Wiltshire - are keen to get an £80m grant from the European Investment Bank to fund the project. [15 Apr 2003]
UK gears up for £18m e-voting trials
News Local authorities involved include Sheffield, St Albans, Ipswich, Norwich and South Somerset. The largest ever trial of electronic voting in Britain will take place in next month's local elections, as the UK government gears up for an e-enabled... [14 Apr 2003]
A pint of lager and a partridge in a pear tree please
News EDS recently installed a touch-screen kiosk designed to help job seekers in The George pub in Wedmore, Somerset (see 'Pint of lager and a job please', http://www.silicon.com/a56434). The inhabitants of mainland Britain's most remote village have... [02 Dec 2002]
Somerset launches local yokel portal
News Somerset has launched a single portal for eight of its local councils using funding from the government's Pathfinder budget. Eight local authorities, including Mendip District Council, Somerset County Council and Sedgemoor District Council have... [18 Jul 2002]
BT's broadband plans spark countryside revolt
News I live in rural Somerset, near Castle Cary. A Best of Reader comments special This week we have been inundated with responses to a story we ran on BT's refusal to roll out ADSL exchanges in large parts of rural Britain (http://www.silicon.com... [19 Apr 2002]
Brown and Portillo go head to head in 'swine of the year'
News However, as its name suggests, Pig Brother doesn't feature real people vying for their 15 minutes of fame but rather the stars are all pigs on Somerset farmer Richard Counsell's farm. Five million web surfers worldwide have been captivated over the... [27 Sep 2001]
Is your local authority an e-laggard?
News North Somerset Council South Somerset District Council Aylesbury Vale District Council Barrow-in-Furness Borough Council Bracknell Forest Borough Council Brentwood Borough Council Brighton and Hove Council [05 Nov 2000]
Somerset Council gets £4.3m CWC network
News Somerset County Council has signed a £4.3m contract with Cable & Wireless Communications (CWC) to link the IT systems in over 100 government buildings. Somerset County Council said the CWC wireless option was better value for money than a cable... [25 Jan 2000]
