New website is a big hit!

The Council chose a new Content Management System from web company Jadu, which was specially designed to help residents and visitors find information and carry out tasks like filling in forms or making payments more easily and quickly.

The aim is to encourage more and more people to use the website as their first port of call when contacting the Council.

Southend-on-Sea Borough Council's Executive Councillor for Corporate Support Services, Councillor Andrew Moring, said: "With its improved design and layout, using the website is quicker, easier and cheaper too. This means we can save money to spend on other essential Council services.

"Research shows that web-based interactions cost an average of just 39p each time. This contrasts with £3.21 per time to telephone the Council, and £8.23 for each face to face contact."

"We selected Jadu for our new system because the firm has an excellent record of producing good practice websites for local authorities.

"Now people can apply for all sorts of things via the website at any time to suit themselves, without having to wait to contact us during office hours.

"Other advantages are already very apparent. Our new website, for instance, gives us the opportunity to show the excellent 'walk through' video of the new Southend Swimming and Diving Centre at Garon Park ."

Here is a list of just a few of the other opportunities now offered on our new website. Via http://www.southend.gov.uk/ you can:

• Apply for help with Adult Social Care
• Apply for Housing/council tax benefit
• Apply for an Advantage Card -  for concessions for leisure activities
• Report a broken street light or pothole
• Make a payment
• Give us feedback on a consultation
• Carry out a search powered by Google
• Make use of Interactive FAQ's