New web project to link rural communities

Ninety regional communities across NSW will be linked up with new, geo-spatially-enabled web sites under a major new contract awarded to Social Change Online.

The NSW Local Government and Shires Associations' Local-e Project has commissioned the work, which allow local regional councils to offer a range of community services online.

Under the contract, Social Change Online will build community websites that allow councils to provide online services including:

• Bookings for council facilities such as Childcare facilities, Council halls, Parks, Meeting rooms;

• Ability to pay for these online (e-Payments);

• Local tourist listings and info;

• Request for Council services.

The sites will serve as an online, one-stop entry for all Council services, including Libraries, and contain online maps from the NSW Government. This will allow citizens to locate Council facilities and resources, tourist attractions and even community groups .

The site will also provide community groups with their own web page on the Council site, allowing them to publish and maintain information about their activities!

Social Change Online CEO Sean Kidney said the project was an important initiative, building on the 130 websites SCO had already developed for regional communities. The project

"It is great news that our technology - which is all about linking people and communities - is being put to such good use," Mr Kidney said.

"This is a major project that will allow small Councils in every corner of NSW to become fully web-enabled."

The project will be completed by mid 2004. Funding for Local-e has come from the Commonwealth Government's Networking the Nation program. The project uses e-Government standards as its foundation.