Press Release

Release Date: 28th January, 2011.

Looking Local, the national solution delivering public sector services on digital interactive TV, mobile phones, smartphone apps and games consoles, was delighted to win the award for 'Local e-Government Excellence: Take Up & Usage Growth' at the national e-Government awards in London this week.

Key to the award was 'Ensuring high and growing take-up of an e-enabled service through effective service delivery and marketing', and the award reflected the need to consider other electronic channels, as over nine million adults across the UK do not have internet access.

Guy Giles, Looking Local's Operations Manager said: "Alternative channels are key to effective public service delivery and Looking Local is a unique multi-platform solution, which delivers content and services to a wide range of people both at home and on the move. We are really pleased that our platform agnostic stance, ability to address emerging platforms, and ability to deliver government services to a range of people who otherwise would not have access has been rewarded."

A number of factors were key to Looking Local's success at the awards, in particular the significant increase of partners looking to deliver multi-platform services the during 2010: subscribing partners went up by 70% in 2010. Also key is range of platforms Looking Local now supports. Partners can make their services available to the nine million plus Sky homes, 3.5 million Virgin Media homes, millions of games consoles, a range of kiosks, the 13 million adults who now own an iPhone as well as all internet enabled mobile phones. Looking Local is currently working with YouView, a BBC backed IPTV/broadband enabled Freeview initiative due out later this year.

Other factors key to current success include the work Looking Local undertook in 2010 in terms of the Big Society; widening access to the local debate by integrating with Twitter, Flickr, Patient Opinion and Timebanking UK. First steps towards 100% electronic services were made in partnership with Birmingham City Council as they extended their web based Online Schools Admissions to the TV. However in the current climate it was the channel shift savings in excess of £3million that caught the judges' eye.

Addressing the awards Francis Maude, Minister for the Cabinet Office, said: "Tonight's winners show why this country is at the very forefront of e-government delivery and as we push forward with our important modernising public services programme, digital technology will continue to play a crucial role in driving better services, while lowering costs."

Looking Local is owned by Kirklees Council and has been delivering government services on alternative digital platforms for over seven years. This accolade is testament to their ongoing work to tackle the digital divide, and ensure 24/7 access to public services regardless of the users circumstances and access to digital technology.

Cllr Mehboob Khan, Leader of Kirklees Council, said: "I am delighted that the work which has gone into Looking Local has been recognised by the National e-Government awards.  It shows that our endeavours to increase the access of local people to digital services have won official recognition and I hope that more organisations will begin to use this national service."