BRINGING THE COUNCIL TO THE COMMUNITY (South Dorset Liberal Democrats)

South Dorset Liberal Democrats <info@southdorsetlibdems.org.uk>

BRINGING THE COUNCIL TO THE COMMUNITY

January 7, 2009 7:27 PM

Liberal Democrats on Weymouth and Portland Borough Council are calling for a major rethink on how the council delivers its services to individual residents, in the light of modern technology.

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"Computers, the internet and mobile phones are liberating for big organisations, because people don't have to be in the same place to work together efficiently, but local residents who have not got access to these things find them a daunting barrier to obtaining the advice and help they need from the council" says Cllr. Ian Roebuck. "Vulnerable people find themselves isolated in their own neighbourhoods, made remote from the contact staff who are in the council offices by the very technology which is meant to help."

"We want to have those capable and helpful staff out in the communities, able to talk face to face with residents in places like libraries, surgeries or even post offices, then using the technology to check with colleagues and make sure they can give the advice and help that is needed."

"And we want to address the problem of the Council Offices themselves. They are a crumbling asset which is in danger of becoming a big financial liability if we do not plan now to relocate from them into buildings more environmentally friendly and fit for the electronic age."

The Liberal Democrat Group want council officers to draw up options for contact points around the borough, for relocating the main offices to (possibly leased) premises which are more environmentally efficient and for disposal and redevelopment of the North Quay site.