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www.southwilts.com communities online. Steve Milton South Wiltshire Strategic Alliance. www.southwilts.com?. A community development tool Enables local people, groups and businesses to build & maintain websites No HTML, XML or Java! In fact, no technical stuff at all! Just type and go!
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www.southwilts.com communities online Steve Milton South Wiltshire Strategic Alliance
www.southwilts.com? • A community development tool • Enables local people, groups and businesses to build & maintain websites • No HTML, XML or Java! • In fact, no technical stuff at all! • Just type and go! • 100% free for users!
Our Aim • Improve access to community information • Promote community groups & activities • Promote local businesses and the rural economy • Improve access to public services • Improve communication between communities • Designed & managed by the community • Self sustaining • Meet ODPM eGov outcomes
Funding • Funded by Govt. ePathfinder scheme • Wiltshire & Swindon awarded £1.4m • One of 25 projects • Complex bidding process • Partnership approach • £46k for www.southwilts.com
Involving the Community • User group established at the outset • Design Workshop • Developed the Specification • Tested the site • Local ‘super-users’ and ‘champions’ • Will manage the site as a Charity in the future • Site acts as online consultation tool for the LSP
Developing the Site • Selected a local company - Cravenplan • A commercial partnership • A complex contract • Cravenplan retain a stake • Cravenplan private investment of £30,000+ • Rewritten programme as an off the shelf eGov tool
Sustainability • No ongoing cost to local Taxpayers • Revenue costs funded by commercial sponsorship • Community provides and manages content • User Group will take over management once sponsorship exceeds costs
Features of the Site • Trusted Users • Template driven page creation • Advertisements • Job vacancies • Online Diary • Online eZine • Mailing lists • Self policing
Is it working? • Currently 520 community sites hosted • 6.6m hits since Jan 2004 • 387,000 hits In August 2005 • 35,000 pages of local information viewed every month • £2,500 annual revenue from sponsors • System now procured up and running in Oxfordshire
Where now? • More promotional work locally • All Councillors online by end 2005 • Drive up sponsorship income to £5,000 • Launch Phase 3 improvements • Cravenplan invested £30,000+ in nationwide marketing
www.southwilts.com communities online Steve Milton South Wiltshire Strategic Alliance