Press Release
E-government Pioneers Share Success Secrets
25 April 2002
An audience of fifty senior e-government implementers and consultants heard how East Riding had made the e-government initiative a catalyst for real and positive change. In typical direct style Darryl Stevenson laid out his approach to getting e-government up and running saying, 'If you don't want to take part - then go and work for someone else'.
East Riding, which in 1996 was formed from four district councils and half a county council, applies 'think corporately, customer focussed' - a director will spend 30' of their time on corporate matters, which involve the council working together as a whole. 'Getting service provision close to the people' is another Darryl Stevenson mantra, and one, which is yielding surprising results. Councillor surgeries are becoming a thing of the past for example, Councilors now have time freed up to get on with real problems.
Keith Beaumont, from Rushcliffe District Council, demonstrated a similar pragmatic approach to e-government. 'It's not rocket science its common sense' and 'don't get hung up on e-government, it's e-business'. Although Keith was quick to point out that vision leadership; and willingness is fine - but you do need the technology to make it work. Like East Riding , it's about leadership and commitment from the top.
Stephen Hill, a presenter and senior consultant from SOCITM gave his view on delivering effective services to the citizen, Darryl Stevenson said 'in moving forward Socitm Consulting helped us with our public access strategy, front and back office integration issues, and network infrastructure requirements.' Stephen Hill, in working with Rushcliffe noted that the 'senior managements grasp of e-government implementation issues and their commitment to making it happen quickly and intelligently, has as a consequence achieved major service improvement.'
Salmon presented a view that e-government and e-business are very closely linked both philosophically and technologically. Salmon's business - which is based on bidding fixed price, and therefore underwriting the risk for the customer has been honed on e-business projects both in local government and on leading commercial initiatives.
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