Christopher Histed, CEO of PublicTechnoloy.net, the prime e-government news service for public ICT in the UK, says: "Mobile devices and mobile technology will become desperately important. Additionally, system reliability will be crucial. With past IT failures in mind - when failures in a small number of high-profile government IT systems caused significant problems - central and local government is extremely cautious when it comes to investing in ICT."
In a nationwide survey of local government employees published in January 2007, 61 percent of CEOs and heads of service said they would be spending more of their ICT budget on mobile devices for remote working in 2007-8 versus the current year. Local government in the UK will spend GBP 2.7 billion on ICT in 2007-8.
The e-Government National Awards were founded in 2003 by PublicTechnology.net, in cooperation with central government organizations, and they represent the UK's highest commendation for the best e-Government services. These are services which, through innovative online delivery or IT implementation, have positively transformed the lives of citizens, local communities, business, and stakeholder groups. The winners and finalists highlight the massive benefits to UK citizens of services such as online school admissions, online transport aid, help lines, and numerous council e-services that improve citizens' lives across the UK.
Simplicity, vision, target group orientation and strong usage were the common key factors for this year's award winners. All nominations delivered services designed for the target audience - UK citizens.
TransportDirect won the citizen-focused online services category. Its service offers users the ability to plan their journeys via all modes of transport, including car and public transport, across the whole of Britain via the internet, mobile phones or iDTV. The Department for Education and Skills won with its Connexions Direct national website and helpline, a service that offers engaging and accessible online information, advice and support for 13-19 year olds in England.
The winners of the 11 categories were chosen from 345 nominations from across the public sector. Judges included central government organizations, vendors and operators.
Commenting on the event, awards judge Nigel Dutton, of mobile network operator O2, said: "It's inspiring to see the public sector seizing the golden opportunity presented by e-government and by mobile e-government in particular. Being mobile can enable public servants to deliver better outcomes and better fulfill local needs, increasing job satisfaction."
