WIREDGOV

Communities living in a number of council areas will see more services go online thanks to funding for a new programme which aims to promote the successful use of digital technology.

Twenty-seven councils have been successful in securing money from the Digital Experts programme, run by the Local Government Association (LGA).

The programme was set up to help councils develop their use of technology by learning from the digital tools and approaches which have already been successfully implemented elsewhere.

A total of £390,000 was awarded, with single councils receiving £10,000 and groups of councils receiving £25,000.

Cllr Peter Fleming, Chairman of the LGA's Improvement and Innovation Board, said:

"There is a lot of excellent working going on in councils to develop and implement innovative digital ways of providing services.

"The Digital Experts programme will give a helping hand to those councils who are keen to draw on the learning of their peers and quickly implement what has worked well elsewhere, and we look forward to seeing the results.

"It is great to see councils learning from each other and adopting the digital tools which have already been developed. We want to support the sector to share these assets more effectively so there will be bigger benefits for more councils."

Notes to editors:

1.    The successful councils are:
Blackpool Council
Bournemouth, Dorset and Poole LRF
Christchurch and East Dorset Councils
Dacorum Borough Council
Dorset County Council and all six district/borough councils in Dorset
Essex County Council
Gloucestershire and Gloucester City
Lancaster City, Preston City and Fylde Borough Council
Luton Council
Milton Keynes Council
Newcastle City Council
Newcastle Under Lyme
North Warwickshire Borough Council and Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council
Nottingham City Council
Reading Borough Council
Redcar and Cleveland
Solihull MBC
South Holland and Breckland District Councils
Southampton Council
Stafford Borough Council and Cannock Chase Council
Staffordshire County Council
Stockton-on-Tees
Test Valley Borough Council
Thurrock Council
Westminster CC, RB of Kensington and Chelsea & LB Hammersmith and Fulham
Wirral Council
Wyre Council

2.    The LGA's response to the Budget announcement on the government digital service is available here

Ruth Pott-Negrine

Senior Media Relations Officer

Local Government Association

Tel: 020 7664 3351
Mobile: 07979 803158
Out of hours: 020 7664 3333
Email: ruth.pott-negrine@local.gov.uk

Local Government House, Smith Square, SW1P 3HZ