Serco / Derbyshire Consortium of Councils

The Requirement

As part of their e-Government strategy, a consortium of local councils across Staffordshire and Derbyshire wished to extend access to key council services by giving citizens online access to council tax, benefits and business rates information, via the internet and a network of public access kiosks.

The Solution

Amatica worked in partnership with Serco, the local government systems integration specialist to develop the online interface to Anite's revenues and benefits system to enable customers to access their accounts via a network of touchscreen information points.

Amatica designed a customised, branded interface for each of the four councils in the consortium.

Users are able to access council tax, benefits or business rates information, via a secure login, to make payments and download detailed account information.

On choosing the service they wish to access, the user inputs their existing council tax or business rates account number using the onscreen touch keyboard, which is automatically displayed on screen on selection of the service.

The kiosk then interfaces with the council's Anite 'Pericles' back office system and utilising e-gif compliant XML, information can be displayed via the kiosk network or a website.

The user has the option to view and print a mini statement, make a request for a full statement or a direct debit form, or pay online via the council's website.

The Outcome

For residents in these areas, finding and accessing information and advice from their local council can be difficult, particularly for those residents living some distance from their local council offices.

Offering online access to this information enables the councils to save money and increase efficiency. Queries to call centres and council offices can be reduced and customers have quick and easy access to their accounts.