Issue - meetings

The Head of Information, Customer and Parking Services submitted a report on the changes being made to the Council’s Website and sought comments on the Website Action Plan, the detail of which was set out in the report now submitted and Essential Reference Paper ‘B’.  

The Head of Information, Customer and Parking Services summarised the content of the report in a presentation which, among other issues, reviewed the most common activities on why the website was visited, how this was found (e.g. via Google), navigating the website and what could be done to make this a better customer experience.  The Head of Information, Customer and Parking Services stated that action to reduce the amount of content of the website and enhance the quality of information would assist the search engine in producing more relevant information. 

Councillor J Ranger referred to the difficulties in accessing relevant Development Control information and of the difficulty in being able to obtain specific information about planning applications.

In response to a query from Councillor T Page regarding the East Herts’ website statistics in terms of “hits”, and revenue opportunities, the Head of Information, Customer and Parking Services provided clarification.  In response to a query from Councillor Page concerning Members’ possible involvement in the website’s restructure, the Chief Executive and Director of Customer Services reminded Members that they could contribute via the Action Plan and suggested that Members might wish to inform Officers of what they “hated” about the website. 

The Head of Information, Customer and Parking Services explained how the search engine was being re-written to monitor searches to enable its capabilities and accuracy to be enhanced. 

The Chairman reminded Members that the report before them was a direct response to evidence from users of the website and that it was about shortening the customer journey in terms of accessing information and ongoing management of the website.

Members received the report and the presentation.  Members also requested that the Executive be advised that the Committee welcomed the fact that urgent matters in relation to the East Herts website were being addressed in an ongoing way, including simplification of the website.

RESOLVED – that (A) the report and presentation be received; and

(B)   the Executive be advised that the Committee welcomed the fact that urgent matters in relation to the East Herts website, were being addressed in an ongoing way, including  simplification of the website.