Overview

Britain leads Europe in terms of digital interactive TV and with digital switchover well underway, the use and awareness of this medium is growing rapidly, presenting a wealth of opportunities for effective government service delivery. For local authorities looking to reach members of society that the Internet does not reach, Looking Local is a unique government owned service, with an unrivalled financial and technical model.

Most councils have good websites, but little resource is dedicated to delivering services on other channels which are increasing in usage and popularity. Looking Local is a public sector only solution dedicated to the two ends of the technical spectrum; high end smartphones and other Internet-enabled phones and the lower end of DiTV - Sky, Virgin, broadband enabled Freeview boxes (including the BBC's YouView).

By delivering services on these channels councils are able to decrease contact costs and use resources more efficiently. Our solution adapts to the technical trends the public are following and enables public sector organisations to deliver on new devices without the need for added investment.

Key Points of note:

• Looking Local is owned by and managed for local government and the wider public sector by Kirklees Council
• On DiTV Looking Local is free to access, offering those in the lower income brackets access to services for free, when they need them, from the comfort of their home
• Looking Local is the only technical solution that allows an organisation to simultaneously publish services on all the digital interactive TV platforms and mobile (as well as other emerging consumer electronics)
• Our technology is based on inter-operable standards and offers an XML interface to allow system integration where appropriate
• No investment is required, access to Looking Locals technology is on an annual subscription basis
• Looking Local research proves the service is reaching parts of society the web does not reach, often those with the biggest need for 24/7 government services, the digitally unengaged
• Looking Local brings together government bodies from across the spectrum and partners benefit from marketing and an existing user base
• Free iOS app allows your iPhone customers to use a dedicated easy to use app to report local issues, as well as attaching images and comments. They can also use your local service on their iPhone with all the usability benefits iOS offers (also available to iPad and iPod Touch users). Read more.
• Content is automatically re-purposed for the different TV platforms (Sky, Virgin, broadband Freeview), mobile phones including iPhones, touch screens, tablets (such as the iPad) & the Nintendo Wii.
• Looking Local integrates with a number of leading social media applications providing access to local debate and content from other channels; e.g.: Twitter and Flickr.
• A managed 'bureau' service provides robustness and continuity of service in the context of staff movement and uncertain times.
• Looking Local performs a range of self-service services (information, communication and booking services) 24/7, taking pressure off call centres and front line services and improves access.
• Looking Local enables councils to reach digitally excluded customers; it improves service reach and lowers cost of communicating to 'difficult to reach'. Costs nationally reported at £0.30 per contact or less.

POLICY OBJECTIVES:

Not only does Looking Local help deliver on digital inclusion targets and objectives as well as wideing access to 24/7 electronic government, their information and services, it helps towards a range of other policies:

GREEN ICT

Increasingly public organisations are being tasked with considering their carbon footprint and reducing their emissions. On top of this there is a requirement to encourage citizens to realise their environmental impact, look at reducing their consumption of non-essentials and their waste. Looking Local can help in environmental awareness as well as helping to reduce your organisations output, without affecting its efficiency or efficacy.

EDUCATION

Looking Locals lead role in the DCFS programme to deliver youth information on what is available to do locally via DiTV and mobile, starts to meet some of the local governments responsibilities to provide information as widely as possible. Act 507b of the 'Education and Inspection' paper of 2006, mandates that local authorities must collate and make public all the activities and options available to young people, however many are yet to begin to make this happen.

As part of a consortium including Substance, Channel 4, the National Youth Council for Voluntary Services and others, Looking Local is working with 20 local authorities across the UK in bringing together this vital information together then making it available on as many suitable platforms, sites and channels as possible. The intention is to roll the programme out following the initial phase to more local authorities to help achieve national coverage of youth activities. The aims are manifold, but health, care and the prevention of crime are at the heart of the initiative, which began in earnest in summer 2008. To read more on this click here

HEALTH & TELECARE

Looking Local is also working on two separate but overlapping telecare programmes ; T-Seniority, funded by the EU and focusing on providing services to allow older people to stay at home and lead independent lives for longer, the other looking at integrating monitoring devices into the home and extending 'virtual extra care' for older people.

Whilst these might not be core council areas of responsibility, they will be part of your LSP and health partners objectives. Looking Local has found with doctors appointments and repeat prescriptions, offering health services leads people into using other parts of the site and creates a holistic service.

Both programmes will look at using DiTV and mobile as a return path for non-emergency health checks (e.g.: blood pressure monitoring) and will link fluently into health alert services as well as give supplementary information and advice.

EMPLOYMENT - ECONOMIC GROWTH, REGENERATION AND CITIZENSHIP

Our partnership with Jobcentre Plus allows DiTV and mobile users access to the complete Jobcentre plus database, which is up to the minute and nationally available. Jobs have been cited time after time as the main draw of local authority websites and similarly is a popular area Looking Local.

Offering people the chance to get back into work, retrain, change jobs, find a new job in a new area, look for work outside of office hours are among the many reasons why this partnership is key. The free provision of this information dovetails in with numerous local and central policy objectives which are key to economic growth and individual freedoms.

EMPOWERMENT

By providing supplementary channels on Looking Local, Local Authorities are working towards the empowerment objectives as set out in the CLGs 'Communities in Control white paper.

As well as making the advantages of technology benefit everyone in society, as per the cross-government report 'Delivering Digital Inclusion: An Action Plan for Consultation'.

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

On digital interactive TV Looking Local offers 24/7 free access for residents to send back comments on the quality of local services, questions for their representatives and queries on local government work. Councils can run polls, ask their citizens for feedback on specific issues, run consultations, provide a feedback channel and generally give people a voice.

ACCESS TO SERVICES

Looking Local is able to offer integrated services and access to information on all these key delivery areas: Community, Anti Social Behaviour, Clubs, Cohesion, What's on, Schools, Health, News, Planning, Trading Standards, Utilities and much more. Looking Local can be deployed in so many ways for so many purposes, please contact us to find out more.

RURAL COMMUNITIES

Rural communities in particular can benefit from Looking Local services, offering people as many ways as possible to access your services can help them to self serve, for free and limit the need to travel. With broadband not reaching some of the more rural areas of the UK as yet and the speed of service being variable, DiTV is a useful alternative. With Looking Local working on telecare and telehealth projects the intention is to bring financial and strategic benefits both to patients and PCTs. Information and services specifically focused on the rural population can help foster community engagement and be a vital service.

THE BIG SOCIETY

Looking Local is a great way of widening the reach of the Big Society debate, allowing people to vote, comment, take part in debates and air their views via DiTV and mobile; widening access to local issues to all, not just those online.

To discuss Looking Local further, request a meeting or simply understand the wider DiTV landscapeand/or mobile landscape the wider DiTV and mobile landscapes, please contact Looking Local.