As 'E Government Champion' at Babergh I am keen to see the Council move itself further into the 21st century by focussing more about the role of Information and Communication Technology.
In the State of the District Debate at the Council Meeting yesterday I made three points:-
Firstly, we must try to encourage the County Council and others directly involved to improve the situation with regard to internet reception in the more remote (and in some cases not so remote) settlements and villages in the District. At a recent workshop to discuss the Babergh Development Framework in Bildeston, every Parish Council present complained that internet speed is a real problem. If we are to encourage small local businesses, working from home and other desireable and environmentally friendly results then a decent broadband connection is essential.
Secondly, Babergh itself, and ultimately Baberth/Mid Suffolk, should make more use of audio and video conferencing facilities. This can be a real money saver for relatively small investment, and also stops people burning unnecessary petrol driving all over the District.
Thirdly, we must persevere in our efforts to encourage public access points, training and support, for those who are currently unable to access the internet. Those without internet connections are becoming increasingly disadvantaged. For example, they may be unable to access all public services, and are very disadvantaged when it comes to on line shopping, access to information etc. Between 20 to 30 percent of all households still have no connection, and it isn’t just the elderly who are in this situation.
My comments went down quite well, although some of the members present were alarmed at the prospect of video conferencing. This has been commonplace in the private sector for many years however and can work really well in practice. The picture above shows how 'realistic' it can be.
