Contact Us
Address:
The Guildhall
Frankwell Quay
Shrewsbury
SY3 8HQ
Frankwell Quay
Shrewsbury
SY3 8HQ
Telephone:
01743 281000
email:
ICT Questions raised at Staff briefing sessions on 27/28th April 2003
| Questions | Chief Executive | ICT Response | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 | Improved telephone system in tourist information/hot line to other SABC offices. | Steve Edwards is leading on introducing an improved telephone system in 2004. | TIC will have new telephone system after office move, please provide more details of exact requirements |
| 22 | Out of date information on the website. | Service managers have been tasked to ensure their information is up to date. It is up to all of us to help in that regard. | Web editors have the facility to set expiry dates. Please contact your service editor (see list on Intranet) if you spot something out of date |
| 23 | Concerns over basic equipment in new offices, i.e. adequate photocopiers in each service and adequate printers for individuals etc. | We need to look forward with the computer age when less will be done on paper as is evidenced elsewhere. | Adequate printer/copiers will be provided with greater efficiency and range of facilities |
| 33 | Technology. E-mail. Mailing lists for Council business, i.e. press releases and waste management. Members of the public should be able to subscribe to information being sent by e-mail. | Steve Edwards has been asked to look into this. | This is a good idea, it is in the website, development plan |
| 34 | Technology - Minutes on website. Navigation is poor. Quite difficult to find particular meeting. | What ideas are there to make improvements? | As a result of feedback the site has been restructured. Please let us know if you think further changes are required |
| 35 | Technology - General website information. All should be up to date or accurate. | Agreed - we are all responsible to help in achieving this. | See response to Question 22 |
| 36 | Technology - Bin collection rounds should be on the website. | Good idea - Derek Caddy has been asked to look into this. | This has been put in place |
| 37 | Technology - Electronic payment - bulky waste collection. | As above. | Already available on website via girobank/billpay and will be made easier via online cash receipting system |
| 40 | IT - Internet/Intranet needs to be kept more up to date. | Agreed - see earlier. | See point 22 |
| 41 | IT - Better identification of internet/intranet site - totally different first page. | Steve Edwards is looking at this. Please let him have any ideas. | Agreed and in the development plan |
| 44 | Document management sounds a great idea - less paper, quicker service and easier access to all documents. | This is a key issue for the way we will live and work in the future. We need everybody to support and help with this. Julie Kelly is leading on this. Please contact her with any ideas etc. | Implementation about to begin in Env Health and Public Amenities. Please attend presentations on 30 September in Council Chamber |
| 46 | IT - On site data entry - laptop/palm. | Good idea - Please talk to Steve Edwards. | Currently investigating various options |
| 47 | IT - Voice recognition software. | Good idea - Please talk to Steve Edwards. | This is available, if interested please contact ICT |
| 48 | IT - On site electronic diary. | Good idea - Please talk to Steve Edwards. | Currently on trial |
| 49 | IT - Search engine on first page of Council's website. Unclear where information is on website. | Steve Edwards to look at this please. | Search engine now on all pages |
| 50 | IT - Computer terminals for public to access. Community centres/the two main indoor shopping centres. | Steve Edwards to look at this please. | Rollout to Council premises is ongoing. Rollout in shopping centres would have to be done by owners of sites |
| 51 | Website - priority should be given to providing information - forms and transactions should come later. | There may be an opportunity to take forward all at same time, i.e. forms are information. The IT Working Group is keen to progress this. | Information should be provided by Services. ICT is progressing forms and transactions |
| 52 | Getting information - intranet is a good medium - but needs to be completed to include full range of information. | Agreed - see earlier. | Agreed. See point 22. Contact ICT for editor training |
| 54 | Roger Wedlake - What decision prompted the change from Microsoft Outlook to the current software? MS products are world leaders and understood and used by most people and companies. You may not like it but that is the reality. This caused a whole new training programme which was a waste of effort. | Steve Edwards will respond to Roger Wedlake direct on this. | The Groupwise e-mail system is less vulnerable to virus attack than Outlook/Exchange but has comparable functionality |
| 55 | Roger Wedlake - Why does the organisation not have a networked operating system which would allow technical updates and attention from the centre without the need to send out a technician to the individual PC? | As item 54 above. | This technology is in use where appropriate but sometimes attendance is the quickest solution |
| 59 | IT - Make sure it works and repairs are carried out same day. | Steve Edwards to note. | The target is to close 70% of help desk calls within one day. We are close to achieving that figure. |
| 60 | Being able to log on to work at home would help tremendously. | Steve Edwards to consider. | Security measures are being put in place to allow full access from home. E-mail access from home is available now, contact ICT for details |
| 69 | M. Haycock - weekend and out of hours support requirement for IT as several sites regularly work out of "normal office hours" and rely more and more on computers. | Steve Edwards to consider. | Current staffing levels do not allow for this |
| 83 | Too much e-mail. More personalised circulars limit to certain people - how? | Any ideas on this to Steve Edwards please. | Providing an online staff noticeboard is in the development plan |
| 101 | More information on intranet. | Steve Edwards to provide. Please tell him what you want. | See point 22 |
| 102 | Staff page for clubs, advertisements for things for sale, as well as formal information, e.g. updates on new office accommodation. | Steve Edwards please look at this. | See point 22 |
| 120 | Museums are not part of the main telephone system, i.e. no voice mail and only two lines in which blocks and upsets customers, overloaded. | Steve Edwards to consider. | Frankwell Quay and the Music Hall will initially have access to the new telephone system. The longer term plan is to roll it out to all Council buildings |
| 121 | Some PCs are still not wired up for internet, e.g. in waste management. Need an audit and to ensure everyone is online. | Steve Edwards please consider. | If you are experiencing difficulties in accessing the internet – please place a call with the IT helpdesk ext 1077 |
| 122 | A notice board on intranet for staff ads etc. would be much appreciated. | Steve Edwards to consider. | See point 83 |
| 123 | Up to date system with correct information. Full-time web manager required, officers don't have time or commitment. | It is and will continue to be part of all our jobs to keep information up to date. As we have updated leaflets in past it should now be IT. | Information belongs to the services. They must be responsible for keeping it up to date |
| 124 | IT equipment out of date. | Where? | A corporate computer renewals fund is being introduced |
| 125 | IEG money - what has happened to this money? | Steve Edwards - Please put on intranet what is happening. | Click here to view |
| 129 | Overload of e-mail. Junk mail. Looking at filtering software. | Steve Edwards has put a system in. Please talk to anyone of his team. | See point 83 Anti-spam software is in place |
| 137 | Members and staff without computer. | Members have them. Which employees do not have access? | Please make request through your service manager |
| 146 | E-mail addresses on the web? Is this desirable? "R" letters could be audited via a response on the e-mail. | Steve Edwards to consider. | Service specific e-mail addresses are required on the website to ensure full service provision |
| 150 | Internet access for public at TIC. | Steve Edwards to consider. | This is on the development plan |
| 151 | Mick Barlow - Intranet information - more detail on "what's on" events to assist staff with queries from customers. | Mary Morrison is looking at this. | This is on the development plan |
| 152 | Priority should be given to internet access at the tourist information centre above the swimming centre. Surely a terminal would be better placed in TIC rather than Guildhall. | Steve Edwards to consider. | This is on the development plan |
| 153 | Keep intranet and internet sites updated. | Agreed. Up to us all to do our bit. | See point 22 |
| 154 | Mick Barlow - Internet access in TIC is essential | Steve Edwards to consider. | See point 152 |
| 156 | Benefits - IT specific to benefits. Notification letters must be produced immediately by staff not at the end of each day. Needs to be a priority by IT section to save everyone time in the long run. | Steve Edwards please talk to Mick Barlow on this. | This is currently being implemented |
| 175 | IT department needs to speed up. | Please explain to me. | Please contact Steve Edwards to explain problem |
| 179 | Computers going down and the speed that the computers work at needs to be faster. | Steve Edwards to consider. | Please contact help desk with any problems |
| 186 | Speed of network on occasions slows up work produced with resetting computers. | Steve Edwards is looking at this. | Move to Frankwell Quay will remove this problem |
| 188 | Frankwell offices - Not raised at meeting - links to telephone system from external units | Steve Edwards to deal with this. | The long term plan is to roll out the new telephone system to all Council Buildings |
| 189 | Frances Knight - IT support - Help desk and IT staff are always pleasant and helpful but sometimes what is a simple problem to them, low priority, can hold up my work until it is fixed. I realise that there may be bigger problems needing attention in other departments but I need to get on with my work too. | Steve Edwards please have a chat with Frances to discuss how this can improve. Ingrid has a plan for IT training. | Help Desk staff prioritise calls. If your problem is stopping you working, please make help desk operator aware of this fact |
| 193 | What Bugs Me - IT very outdated. New computers needed. | Please tell Steve Edwards where. | A computer renewals fund is being put in place |
| 198 | Ron Muirhead - Good news story bulletin board. Proposed intranet bulletin board for any member of the authority to publish good news story. | Excellent idea. Steve Edwards please deal with this. | See point 83 |
| 219 | The printer at Castle Street is constantly offline. Daily reports needed to continue work. | Steve Edwards please look at this. | A new printer is now in place. Please notify help desk if there is still a problem |
| 221 | Limitation of software. Benefits screens unavailable when another user in the same claim. | Steve Edwards please look at this. | Certain actions require exclusive access to records. If this is unsatisfactory a modification request may need to be made to the software supplier |
| 226 | Quarry Swimming and Fitness Centre need a computer | Steve Edwards to consider. | Please contact your service manager |
| 257 | 56% of contact is by telephone. For people on low incomes this could be costly. Should there be a free fone telephone number? | Good idea. Steve Edwards please consider the implications. | This can be investigated but there will be cost implications for the Council |
| 280 | IT and Personnel are there to assist other departments in their work. The opposite appears to be the case. Trying to replace employees who have left is difficult. Getting help with IT problems is time consuming. | Please provide me with some examples. | Please contact Steve Edwards and explain your problems |
| 302 | The telephone system at Quarry Centre is inadequate on the reception desk, e.g. an automated system for pool times? | Steve Edwards to consider. | See point 120. Plus the new system has an automated attendant facility |
| 309 | Automated telephone system on cash desk would be desirable at the Quarry Swimming Centre. | Steve Edwards to look at as part of new telephone system. | See point 302 |
| 329 | The ability to select e-mails sent to Oakley Manor/Guildhall only etc. (like selecting staff). This would cut down on e-mails being sent to all staff if not necessary. | Steve Edwards to consider. | Distribution lists can be setup but they must be maintained |
| 339 | Getting good news around the Council (put up to date big issues on the intranet) | Agreed. Steve Edwards has a plan. | This is in the development plan |