North West | Socitm Consulting

Website improvements

Client name:

Lancashire County Council

Lancashire County Council's (LCC) web presences are key parts of both the Customer Access Strategy and the Business Improvement Programme. The council acknowledged that web presences have the potential to deliver significant savings in the way the council does business with its customers.

LCC recognized that their web presence was in need of revision in order to introduce a stable platform and solid information architecture. This was needed to maximize their return on investment and provide a base for continuous improvement in customer service. They decided to divide the project into several stages and requested the help of Soctim Consulting in conjunction with Socitm Insight, to help them do this.

Website review and high level roadmap

Client name:

Allerdale Borough Council

The project issues
Allerdale Borough Council’s website received only a C+ rating in the 2006 Better Connected report. The Council’s objectives include the ability to make cost and efficiency savings and to take the pressure off other service delivery channels. Significant benefits in this respect can be achieved by providing a fully transactional website, which provides users with a self-service capability. Socitm Consulting was asked to review the present situation and to provide recommendations for achieving these goals.

Children’s services information sharing project management

Client name:

Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council

Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council has begun the transfer of core pupil data from all Sefton schools to the Council’s Children’s Services department as part of the implementation of the Single Child Record programme, following project management support from Socitm Consulting. By providing project management and process change expertise, we were able to assist the Council in embarking on the implementation of an effective data transfer process designed to provide staff with access to timely data.

Single Assessment Programme

Client name:

North West e-Government Group

The project issues

BSF ICT procurement

Client name:

Manchester City Council

Manchester City Council has successfully procured ICT services for its Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme with expert support from Socitm Consulting. The Council wanted to procure ICT for schools separately from the construction contract and to tight deadlines. With our expertise in BFS ICT procurement and education ICT, we supported the Council in contracting an appropriate supplier to deliver ICT services to schools now and in the future.

Shared services helpdesk implementation

Client name:

Lancashire County Council

Lancashire County Council has a new strategy and action plan for implementing a shared services helpdesk, following a review by Socitm Consulting. Our advice on shared services helpdesk best practice guidelines and how to implement them gave the Council a clear action plan for developing customer service on a shared services basis.

Public access review

Client name:

Halton Borough Council

The project issues
Halton Direct Link is the customer service interface for Halton Borough Council, and comprises two One Stop Shops, a telephone contact centre and web-based services. Halton Borough Council has made a significant investment in this project, including the development, in partnership with commercial suppliers, of sophisticated CRM software which enables direct access into back office systems.

Housing ICT transfer

Client name:

Halton Borough Council

In December 2005 Halton Borough Council successfully transferred responsibility for housing services to the newly formed Halton Housing Trust. This transfer process was supported by Socitm Consulting. Using our expertise in managing large and complex projects, including the procurement and implementation of new ICT infrastructure and systems, data transfer, staff training and interim management, we assisted the Council in successfully maintaining and transferring its housing service whilst also helping the newly formed Halton Housing Trust to develop its platforms from which to improve the delivery of services in the future.

Cumbria County Council - Website standards review

Client name:

Cumbria County Council

Cumbria County Council has improved the usability and accessibility of its website thanks to expert assistance from Socitm Consulting. Using our extensive knowledge of best practice in local government website development, Socitm Consulting made recommendations on how the Council could improve its website to most effectively support the online delivery of customer services.

Validation of assessment process

Client name:

Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council

Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council has received independent confirmation that its process for assessing relationships with suppliers is objective and robust following a review by Socitm Consulting. The Council wanted independent validation of its assessment that the external provision of ICT Services was not being adequately delivered or developed, and its decision that the ICT Service would be more effective by being brought in-house.