• Top-rated 'transactional' sites are up from 38 in 2005 to 60 in 2006.
• Elsewhere, the rate of improvement is slowing and increases in functionality may be being offset by reductions in usability.
• London boroughs still lead the way in England while councils in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have less well developed sites.
• Evidence suggests that, although good progress has been made from a low base twelve months ago, most councils in England are struggling on most priority outcomes.
• Just 62 sites achieve Level A conformance with WAI guidelines for website accessibility – exactly the same as in 2005, but for the first time three of these achieve Level AA
• Usage figures show 40% rise in visitors to council websites since last year
• Many councils have not yet grasped the efficiency gains that actively marketing self-service via the website could achieve
• Although there are some good examples, councils are generally not exploiting opportunities websites offer to join-up through portals and other means
• The internet is central to 80% of the transformation case studies published recently by Socitm

Evidence from the latest edition of Better connected, the eighth annual survey of local authority websites published by the Society of IT Management (Socitm) on March 1, suggests that the functionality of council websites, and the number of transactions now available through them, has increased markedly over the last year.

The survey also shows that 60 councils have achieved the top ranking 'transactional' status, up from 38 in 2005, and promotional sites, the lowest ranked, have almost disappeared.  Generally, council websites are continuing to improve, although at a lower rate than has been seen in the last three years.  The survey also suggests that in some cases, increased functionality may have been achieved at the expense of usability.

In addition, analysis against a sample of nearly one third of the priority outcomes required of councils in England suggests that while good progress has been made from a low base twelve months ago, most councils appear to be struggling with a number of the outcomes, the majority of which should have been achieved by the end of 2005.

The Better connected survey is carried out by a team of reviewers who visit all 468 local authority sites.  Using a structured questionnaire which this year included over 97 questions, the reviewers assess how well each website performs on:

• website content and currency
• the availability of interactive applications (eg making payments or bookings and reporting information)
• usability of the website and accessibility to users with physical and mental impairments
• the quality and usability of search functions, navigation, and A-Z lists
• use of maps and forms
• availability of statistics about site usage
• how well the website 'joins-up' with other public services

This 'mystery shopping' exercise is supplemented by a number of separate surveys conducted with a series of partner organisations.  These test issues like the resilience of the site, security of the site, accessibility, visitor behaviour in using the site, website readability, and usage of websites.  New items covered in this year's report include:

• a survey of how council websites handled the new Licensing Act 2003
• an examination of website discussion forums
• tests of both search engine facilities and of results from search engines
• a systematic assessment of use of interactive mapping by local authority websites, including advice on accessibility of GIS
• an analysis of claims made about website accessibility against results achieved
• an analysis of sample tests on vulnerability to security attack
• key visitor statistics on usage and satisfaction from the Socitm Insight Website Take-up Service
• analysis of county-based portals

On the basis of their performance in the main survey questionnaire, local authority websites are ranked on a four level rating scale.  'Transactional' sites are best, followed in descending order by 'Content Plus' sites, 'Content' sites and lastly 'promotional' sites.  The results of this year's survey show:

• 110 websites have moved up a category and 56 have moved down a category
• there is a net increase of 22 in transactional sites (increase of 15 in 2005)
• net increase of 69 content plus sites (increase of 49 in 2005)
• net reduction of 36 content sites (reduction of 28 in 2005)
• net reduction of 1 promotional site (reduction of 33 in 2005)

185 councils (40%) have stayed at the same level over the past three years.

The 'Top Twenty' local authority sites in 2006, chosen by the Better connected reviewers from among the 60 achieving transactional status are:

● Brent
● Brighton & Hove (New)
● Camden
● Corporation of London (New)
● Clackmannanshire
● East Sussex CC (New)
● Havering (New)
● Kensington & Chelsea
● Kirklees MBC
● Isle of Wight
● Lambeth (New)
● Leicester City (New)
● Milton Keynes (New)
● Borough of Poole (New)
● Shrewsbury & Atcham BC
● Surrey CC
● Surrey Heath BC
● Wandsworth
● Westminster
● Wrexham CBC

Commenting on the findings of Better connected 2006, Martin Greenwood, programme manager for Socitm Insight and author of the report, said: 'Use of the internet is central to around 80% of the 'transformational' projects and programmes recently researched and published by Socitm.  The website should, therefore, be positioned as a vehicle that will help to drive transformation forward in local authorities. The engine of that vehicle must be up to the job. The findings of Better connected 2006 can be used by councils as a self-audit tool to diagnose the current state of the vehicle.'

Other key conclusions of the report are:

• The failure of council websites to improve more, in England at least, in the final year of the LGOL programme could be as a result of functions being largely supplied by 'bolt-ons' from third party suppliers which, especially if implemented in a hurry, may compromise navigation, together with consistency in the look and feel of the website.
• Councils must put in place proper performance measurement systems for use of the website that so that they can analyse and explain increases (or decreases) in take-up
• The link between the website and other channels must also be understood. How often do
  employees use the website to support advice given to the public? How much do contact centres depend on the website? Can one find out the impact of any employee training, or awareness raising sessions on visitor traffic?
• The website must be made an integral part of service delivery. Every service manager in every council should own the website as part of the mechanism for delivering services from rubbish collection to education, planning to social work and street care to the library service.  There is plenty of evidence from this survey and more anecdotally that this message is fully understand by only a minority of service managers in most councils.
• Websites need to be marketed and promoted as a main channel for delivering services.  Much of the marketing effort needs to be spent internally with colleagues, who may oppose promotion of website take-up for a range of reasons.  Research into people's ability to access the internet (as opposed to their 'being online') indicates that many more people are using the internet, via friends, family and public access points than is generally recognised.
• Service managers need to be fully engaged to the extent that they manage the marketing and promotion of the website rather than expecting the web manager, or even the marketing or public relations professional to do it on their behalf.
• Service managers may not yet understand the potential benefits of raising website usage for customer service and efficiency. This requires leadership and education from more senior levels of the organisation. Many councils appear not to have investigated very closely the efficiency gains that can be legitimately obtained from moving activity to self-service on the website.
• A pressing concern is the need to make the best of the opportunity, perhaps never to be repeated, of a major national campaign from the ODPM to promote online local government services which is due to start in March.

Better connected 2006 will be available as a 'pdf' to Socitm Insight subscribers from 1 March 2006.  The printed version, available from mid-March will run to 180 pages (with another 36 pages of technical appendices available electronically) . The report costs £375 to non-subscribers from the Socitm website.

Notes for Editors

Additional information

1 Highlights of Better connected 2006

Overview of results

● The number of transactional sites has increased from 38 in 2005 to 60 in 2006.

● Below the transactional ranking, there has been much less change than the steady 30% improvement in rankings recorded in the past three years. Promotional sites have almost disappeared, but the number of content sites has dropped by only 11, with many slipping back from content plus.

● Looking back over the eight years of the review, we can see many positive achievements. For example, 75% of council websites in England  are now rated as 'content plus' and 42% of
those in London are now transactional.

● Comparison with the latest CPA results in England shows little correlation between the
state of websites and the overall council performance. However, when compared with the direction of travel statement, the state of the website is a good barometer of improvement.

Useful content

● The rate of improvement has slowed down in other ways. This year the number of 'Yes' answers to a sample of 14 questions in our survey repeated from last year has increased by 18%, compared with 37% and 31% in the previous two years.

● The response to our sample e-mail improved from last year's test (60% from 47%). We rated 80% of those replies as satisfactory or very good.

Usability

● In the second year of testing the state of A to Z lists of services, we rated 70% as satisfactory or very good, an improvement over last year's disappointing results.

● We repeated our test of internal search engines conducted by SciVisum two years ago and found significant improvements, although many sites still have much to do. Only 10% of councils found four of the most common terms that any council website should be able to handle. If we combine the results of the two tests, we found only four councils that passed both with flying colours.

● The results of accessibility testing are very disappointing. Only 62 councils have achieved Level A conformance with the (Web Accessibility Initiative) WAI guidelines for website accessibility (exactly the same as last year), although three have now also reached Level AA.

● The number of technical errors according to the SiteMorse tests has dropped by a further 40% this year.

Usage

● According to Ipsos MORI, 61% of the GB adult population now uses the internet (compared with 55% last year).

● Our estimates based on the Socitm Insight website take-up service show that over 10.2m people may have visited local authority websites in December. A sample of the same 19 sites over 12 months indicates a 40% increase in visitor numbers.

● Our website take-up service also shows over the previous 12 months a 5% improvement in the right information being found. Overall, 84% now say they will return to the website compared with 7% who say they will not.

Supporting analyses

● Our desktop analysis against a sample of 30% of the priority outcomes for councils in England suggests that good progress has been made from a low base twelve months ago. However, the overall evidence from our survey is that most councils appear to be struggling in a number of priority areas.

● We also analyse the joining-up of government in areas in England and find that generally councils are not at all well advanced in sharing information. Although a few county areas show up very well, there is much to do, especially where county- based portals have been introduced.

The future

● The transformation agenda that has developed over the past 12 months re-inforces the need for the website to become an integral part of service delivery across every service. The national take-up campaign in 2006 also highlights the importance of marketing e-services. Some evidence suggests that this may not need to be expensive, but requires a re-focusing of approaches to be much more centred on the customer and citizen.

2  How the research was done

This year's Better Connected survey was carried out between 15 November and 23 December 2005 and involved a team of reviewers visiting all websites managed by 468 councils throughout the UK. Using a structured questionnaire the team explored the ability of websites to respond to the needs of a range of typical local authority customers, and to test performance in the areas of joined-up government; interactive applications; currency of information; usability; and responsiveness to e-mail. 

Using the research findings, the team then classified the websites as 'promotional'; 'content'; 'content plus' or 'transactional'.  'Transactional' means significantly interactive and customer-centred - the goal to which all local authority websites should be aspiring in order to meet the requirements of e-government. 

3 Summary results for local authorities

Using this rating, this year's survey shows that:
 
9 (2%) of councils have promotional sites – compared with 60 (5%) in 2005
169 (36%) have content sites – 180 (38%) in 2005
229 (49%) have content plus sites – 226 (49%) in 2005
60 (13%) have transactional sites – compared with 38 (8%) in 2005 
1 unclassified (not available in review period, but recently assessed as C+ site)    

4  Other organisations covered in the research

Using a shorter questionnaire based on the local authority survey, websites from some other organisations that subscribe to Socitm Insight have been investigated as follows:

• Six passenger transport executives (PTEs) 
• Eight fire services
• Eight police services
• Sixteen registered social landlords (RSLs)
• Twenty-six central government departments (inc all those represented on the CIO Council)
• Three organisations in the National Health Service (NHS)
• Seven regional government organisations

In total an additional 74 sites from these related sectors were surveyed. In general, most local government websites seem very good in comparison, but the survey of these other types of public sector website has identified some exceptionally good ones that are exemplars of good practice:

• The HM Revenue and Customs (www.hmrc.gov.uk.
• The Ministry of Defence (www.mod.uk)
• Northumbria Police (www.northumbria.police.uk)

5  Additional surveys reported in Better connected 2006

The main source of evidence remains the survey carried out by our team of reviewers, but there are a number of other useful sources of information used by the team. Listed in the sequence in which they appear in the report, these sources comprise:

SiteMorse   Benchmarking of various technical measures
SciVisum   Testing of search engine facilities
RNIB    Website accessibility
Emphasis Training  Website readability - selection of 72 sites
Hytec    Website security – selection of 20 sites
Ipsos MORI   Access to the Internet
Hitwise    Usage of websites
Nielsen// NetRatings  Visitor feedback – based on approx 60 websites
Speed-trap   Technical assessment of website usage - 6 sites tested

6 The 60 'transactional' sites identified by Better connected 2006

Barking & Dagenham London LB 2004
Basildon DC East SD New
Birmingham City W Mids MD 2003
Bracknell Forest S East EU 2004
Brent London LB 2004
Brighton & Hove S East EU 2004
Bromley London LB New
Burnley BC N West SD New
Camden London LB 2002
Canterbury City S East SD New
Chester City  N West SD 2005
Clackmannanshire Scotland SA New
Corporation of London London LB 2004
Cotswold DC S West SD 2005
Derby City E Mids EU New
Derbyshire CC E Mids CC New
Devon CC S West CC 2005
Dudley MBC W Mids MD 2005
Durham CC N East CC 2004
East Ayrshire Scotland SA 2005
East Sussex CC S East CC New
Exeter City S West SD 2005
Havering London LB New
Hertfordshire CC East CC 2002
Hillingdon London LB 2004
Isle of Wight S East EU New
Kensington & Chelsea London LB 2004
Kirklees MBC York/Humb MD 2004
Lambeth London LB New
Leicester City E Mids EU New
Lewisham London LB New
Lincolnshire CC E Mids CC New
Liverpool City N West MD 2005
Maidstone BC S East SD 2003
Medway S East EU 2005
Milton Keynes S East EU New
North Lincolnshire York/Humb EU New
Borough of Poole S West EU 2004
Salford City N West MD 2005
Shrewsbury & Atcham BC W Mids SD 2005
Shropshire CC W Mids CC New
South Ayrshire Scotland SA New
South Tyneside MBC N East MD 2004
Southwark London LB New
Stroud DC S West SD 2003
Surrey CC S East CC 2004
Surrey Heath BC S East SD 2005
Tameside MBC N West MD 2001
Tandridge DC S East SD New
Thurrock BC East EU 2005
Tower Hamlets London LB 2005
Trafford MBC N West MD New
Wandsworth London LB 2003
Warwick DC W Mids SD New
Warwickshire CC W Mids CC New
Wealden DC S East SD 2005
West Lancashire DC N West SD New
West Oxfordshire DC S East SD New
Westminster London LB 2002
Wrexham  CBC Wales WA 2003

The profile of transactional sites now comprises:

Shire counties - 9
Shire districts - 15
London boroughs - 14
Metropolitan districts - 8
English unitaries - 10
Scottish unitaries - 3
Welsh unitaries - 1

7 Report contents summary

Better connected 2006 is presented in six parts:

Part A Today's context
We set out the purpose of this survey, the process by which websites are assessed, and the
criteria that we apply (the 'useful, usable and used' framework). We then summarise the
changing policy context which marks the start of a new era in the development of websites.

Part B Overview of this year's results
The first part of the results looks at the national picture in terms of overall rankings and
improvement trends, and includes our lists of transactional sites, our Top 20 and other
groupings of top local authorities.

Part C This year's results — useful content
Now we describe the detailed analysis of the results, focusing firstly on content. We report here
on three scenarios of typical visitors for information content, and then examine other aspects of
content such as currency of information, use of links, response to e-mail, provision of services
and the practice of participation. All these factors contribute to the usefulness of the content of
the site.

Part D This year's results — usability
The second stage of the results focuses on ease of use. This covers ease of finding, use of
navigational aids such as A to Z lists, search engines and locational data, general navigation,
design of transactions, accessibility, readability and, finally, technical resilience. All these points
contribute to the usability of the website.

Part E This year's results — usage
Our third perspective is focused on usage. Switching from the product to the customer, we
examine different aspects of the demand side. We highlight different facets of trends about
usage, starting with the latest information about internet access, usage about the sector as a
whole, visitor satisfaction levels from the Socitm Insight take-up service and an update from
last year of visitor behaviour in practice.

Part F This year's results — supporting analyses
We also analyse the results from two additional perspectives. Firstly, we examine the extent to
which the required outcomes from priority services have been achieved in England and to
which the good outcomes are likely to be achieved. Secondly, we examine the evidence of true
joined-up working, especially in two-tier parts of England.

Part G The future
We consider the impact of the transformation agenda on the pivotal role of the website and the
need to integrate it in all aspects of service delivery. The national campaign on take-up planned
for 2006 will also present some more pressing issues about both promotion and usability.

8 New features

Better connected 2006 contains a number of new features:

• Survey of how council website handled the new Licensing Act 2003
• Examination of all discussion forums in use by councils
• Comparison of tests of search engine facilities with results from search engines
• Systematic assessment of use of interactive mapping by local authority websites, including advice on accessibility of GIS
• Additional features on accessibility assessment, including analysis of claims made against results achieved
• Analysis of sample tests on vulnerability to security attack
• First comparison over 12 months of key visitor statistics on usage and satisfaction from Socitm Insight Website Take up Service
• First analysis of county-based portals from perspective of council website 

9 How the Better connected  team rates websites

Socitm Insight has developed a rating system for local authority websites.  This rating reflects the potential for local authority websites to pay a major role in the delivery of e-government.  On this basis, all local authority websites should be aspiring to achieve 'transactional' status as soon as possible, with the steps along the way being the achievement first of promotional, then content, and then content plus status.

Promotional sites provide basic promotional information about the organisation
with very little scope for interaction. They might typically concentrate on tourism, economic development and basic departmental information, with limited information on individual services beyond an A-Z with telephone contact numbers. Little use will be made of e-mail or online feedback, although a few gateway links might be provided.

Content sites provide useful content and encourage some interaction. They have more sophisticated promotional information (eg accommodation search, downloadable files) and include features such as What's New pages, A-Z service listings and keyword site search facilities.  They usually include some basic user interaction (eg clicking on an area map to find details of local councillors) and make use of e-mail and online feedback on home pages.

Content plus sites provide very useful content and offer some examples of more
advanced online self-service features. They allow individual users to define their own search criteria (eg search by postcode for service information, refine searches of local tourist accommodation by type and price), may include links to services such as Girobank for online payment and online databases for items such as library catalogues, planning applications, committee minutes. Service information is comprehensive and makes widespread use of e-mail, online feedback and even discussion forums. Such sites also typically host information on behalf of the wider local community.

Transactional sites are accessible, complete, thoughtful and coherent. They have developed more than one type of online interaction (eg payment, applications, consultation, bookings) and also offer examples of customer recognition (eg ability to check outstanding Council Tax balance). They also provide specific email contacts for different service enquiries and make widespread use of databases, downloadable forms and online form filling (eg for service requests, appointments). They routinely utilise the potential of the Internet for joined-up government (eg OFSTED reports listed alongside schools listings) and offer unique examples of the application of the medium in a local government context.

10  A note on collaborators in Better connected 2006

Socitm would like to thank the following organisations for their help in contributing to Better connected.  Their advice has helped to add balance with a number of different perspectives:
• Emphasis Training Ltd (www.writing-skills.com)
• Hitwise UK (www.hitwise.co.uk)
• Hytec Information Security Ltd (www.hytec.co.uk)
• Ipsos MORI Social Research Institute (www.mori.com)
• Nielsen//NetRatings (www.nielsennetratings.com)
• Royal National Institute for the Blind (www.rnib.org.uk)
• SciVisum Ltd (www.scivisum.co.uk)
• SiteMorse Ltd (www.sitemorse.com)
• Society of Public Information Networks (www.spin.org.uk)
• speed-trap Ltd (www.speed-trap.com)