You may suspect there is a rather sordid story behind LB Lewisham's website.
Since I was involved in the pre-privatisation component I would have to say: "You might think that. I could not possibly comment!"
It is an issue which well you might ask searching questions about though.
Lewisham Websites
Knighton,
I am splitting this off from the main thread http://forum.sydenham.org.uk/viewtopic.php?t=47 because I believe it is an issue in its own right. Whether any councillor or would be councillor would like to follow it up would be of interest.
You may wish to expound on the main Lewisham website which, in its rebirth last year, lost all its community links and much more. I would like to know what was behind Lewisham's fanfare launch of the sister LewishamOnline website funded according to public documents by £250,000 of taxpayers money. It never delivered what it promised (and Google already could do it far better) and was quietly closed after only six months.
When I enquired of a council officer - I was consistently fed a line that was demonstrable untrue and they refused to even check their facts or cooperate to mitigate the loss. It would seem that most of the money ended up in private company and none of the data collected was made available to the public. I'm not suggesting anything illegal. I think it may be more to do with officers' competence and control.
I did not find this issue was of any interest to the councillors. Sadly we all make mistakes - but there is an issue of denial that is counterproductive in Lewisham. Maybe I am making more of it than it deserves. There is no way of knowing without more openness or taking time out to better investigate - which I don't have.
Admin
I am splitting this off from the main thread http://forum.sydenham.org.uk/viewtopic.php?t=47 because I believe it is an issue in its own right. Whether any councillor or would be councillor would like to follow it up would be of interest.
You may wish to expound on the main Lewisham website which, in its rebirth last year, lost all its community links and much more. I would like to know what was behind Lewisham's fanfare launch of the sister LewishamOnline website funded according to public documents by £250,000 of taxpayers money. It never delivered what it promised (and Google already could do it far better) and was quietly closed after only six months.
When I enquired of a council officer - I was consistently fed a line that was demonstrable untrue and they refused to even check their facts or cooperate to mitigate the loss. It would seem that most of the money ended up in private company and none of the data collected was made available to the public. I'm not suggesting anything illegal. I think it may be more to do with officers' competence and control.
I did not find this issue was of any interest to the councillors. Sadly we all make mistakes - but there is an issue of denial that is counterproductive in Lewisham. Maybe I am making more of it than it deserves. There is no way of knowing without more openness or taking time out to better investigate - which I don't have.
Admin
All I can say is that the original Lewisham website cost a total of £18,000. This included the cost of the server, installation et al. It was developed "in-house".
The philosophy behind it was simplicity. The purpose was to give information at low cost in a presentable, but not fussy, manner. Voluntary organisations were permitted free space. That was not entirely philanthropic. They proved useful because the installation of pages for those voluntary organisations enabled staff to develop expertise (in their own time).
The problem was private interests were hovering, in the background, with some "influential" friends.
I'll say nothing more on this matter.
The philosophy behind it was simplicity. The purpose was to give information at low cost in a presentable, but not fussy, manner. Voluntary organisations were permitted free space. That was not entirely philanthropic. They proved useful because the installation of pages for those voluntary organisations enabled staff to develop expertise (in their own time).
The problem was private interests were hovering, in the background, with some "influential" friends.
I'll say nothing more on this matter.
Funnily enough when Lewisham 'cut' their community links last summer a group of local community webmasters set up www.lewishamonline.org.uk (the choice of name wasn't totally coincidental).
That has the same philosophy of simplicity or simplemindedness if you are a real IT nut. But it was only a couple of days work and cost no one anything. It does get a few thousand visits a month and could do more if we had time to optimise it for Google.
A problem was that despite many, many attempts to get Lewisham to link back to the community or to (or use) the set of links we created they refused. They claimed their link to YourLondon did that. If you have tried to use YourLondon you find it has a similar philosophy to the old LewishamOnline.info project (are they connected?). If you try to contact YourLondon you get nowhere. It would seem that local government sees the community as itself (or sister organisations) and is running scared of getting involved with the real thing.
On the otherhand I draw back from being too critical. In the end we have to try and win them over. We want them to want us. Local councillors of all persuasions have been very kind. But they have been unable to get us an entree. The person responsible for 'Community Involvement' doesn't return our calls. Where do we go from here?
Admin
That has the same philosophy of simplicity or simplemindedness if you are a real IT nut. But it was only a couple of days work and cost no one anything. It does get a few thousand visits a month and could do more if we had time to optimise it for Google.
A problem was that despite many, many attempts to get Lewisham to link back to the community or to (or use) the set of links we created they refused. They claimed their link to YourLondon did that. If you have tried to use YourLondon you find it has a similar philosophy to the old LewishamOnline.info project (are they connected?). If you try to contact YourLondon you get nowhere. It would seem that local government sees the community as itself (or sister organisations) and is running scared of getting involved with the real thing.
On the otherhand I draw back from being too critical. In the end we have to try and win them over. We want them to want us. Local councillors of all persuasions have been very kind. But they have been unable to get us an entree. The person responsible for 'Community Involvement' doesn't return our calls. Where do we go from here?
Admin
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Chris Best
- Posts: 439
- Joined: 6 May 2005 11:37
- Location: Sydenham
Just to reply to some of the comments. Lewisham’s new website recently won “transactional” status from SOCITM the independent body which reviews and rates local authority websites. This is the top category and represents an improvement on the old Lewisham website which was replaced last summer.
Whilst this achievement is a sign of progress, the website is an area where we are seeking to develop the service offered further, both in terms of content and transaction which can be undertaken online. We are using several methods of market research to gain customer feedback.
In terms of the style of the content it is, of course, difficult for a Council website to compete with independent sites such as this in terms of exciting debate around controversial issues. Legislation designed to protect from “politics at the ratepayers expense” limits what the Council can and can’t have on it’s website. The website will always therefore focus on public information and local services.
Any suggestions for content improvements can be submitted to web.communications@lewisham.gov.uk
Councillors web sites are currently being prepared and my website can be found on http://www.lewisham.gov.uk/CouncilAndDe ... efault.htm
once the officers have completed the formatting I will update.
In the meantime my political web site address is http://www.chrisbest.labour.co.uk.
Chris
Whilst this achievement is a sign of progress, the website is an area where we are seeking to develop the service offered further, both in terms of content and transaction which can be undertaken online. We are using several methods of market research to gain customer feedback.
In terms of the style of the content it is, of course, difficult for a Council website to compete with independent sites such as this in terms of exciting debate around controversial issues. Legislation designed to protect from “politics at the ratepayers expense” limits what the Council can and can’t have on it’s website. The website will always therefore focus on public information and local services.
Any suggestions for content improvements can be submitted to web.communications@lewisham.gov.uk
Councillors web sites are currently being prepared and my website can be found on http://www.lewisham.gov.uk/CouncilAndDe ... efault.htm
once the officers have completed the formatting I will update.
In the meantime my political web site address is http://www.chrisbest.labour.co.uk.
Chris