Web Reviews - E-envoy to bolster e-government.

Speaking at the GC2001 conference, Andrew Pinder re-emphasised the government’s commitment to bringing 100% of its transactions with citizens onto the internet in just three and a half years’ time.

‘Getting the very best out of new technology means that we must innovate – not just automate. And that means innovation within government as well as between government and citizen. We’ve got to walk the talk,’ said Pinder.

‘Services should be packaged in a tailored, customer-focused fashion, often in partnership with the private sector, so that the citizen or businessperson is offered real benefits by transacting online, and comes back to use more and more online services,’ he added.

Pinder’s statement comes as it was revealed that fewer than half of all UK councils will meet government targets to put their services online by 2005. According to a report by local authority IT user group Socitm, electronic service delivery across all councils won’t happen until 2009. The target for full online government is 2005.

Incoming CITM president Robin Carsberg has said delays will occur because ‘there are more challenges than you can shake a stick at’.

– Paul Allen writes for Network News.