Overview

The Looking Local technology is called the Starter Kit. The Starter Kit is a unique, award winning technology, being the only one available in the UK that allows immediate publishing to Sky, Virgin, broadband enabled Freeview and mobiles simultaneously. Looking Local is platform agnostic and ensures that it is accessible on other popular consumer electronics, we keep a close eye on the technical landscape and develop and partner to extend appropriately to deliver the best service to those people without Internet access.

Currently the majority of organisations engaged with Looking Local fall into the local government, jobs, transport, housing and health arenas. They publish a range of informational content, polls, consultations, interactive forms and more significantly can use an XML schema to plug in to external databases/systems which can run truly integrated, real time and/or personalised services (plugins).

The Starter Kit is essentially a hosted content management system (CMS) which allows each organisation to create the service they deem appropriate for their audience, this is called a 'microsite'. The CMS is simple to use, based on CMS standards and allows the user to follow logical steps to create content, forms, polls, questionnaires, request services and link them logically together.

The CMS is web-based and publishing is immediate and publishing workflows and 'sign-offs' are inherent. Within the CMS editors can add links to the national services that Looking Local has partnered with, add information and services from local service partners, create A-Z listings, include unique search criteria and develop as many plugins as they choose.

Looking Local templates currently support images to enhance text content where appropriate, these templates will soon be used to deliver video content. Maps can also be integrated within microsites to enhance the content, this is easily done via Google Maps. Maps can be static or dynamic ones, allowing panning and zooming. Within the CMS the editor can detail where any response should be delivered (e.g. housing@localauthority.gov.uk ), to ensure that all requests are managed properly.

Benefits

• No hardware, technical expertise or knowledge of the platform differences are required, Looking Local and the Starter Kit manages all these issues
• A Managed Service is available which sees Looking Local creating and maintaining your microsite, based on best practice, your content and requirements (click here to read testimonials from other authorities who subscribe to the bureau service)
• The Starter Kit is constantly improved, new partners integrated and new content made available
• A full Management Information System (MIS) is available to understand who is using your service, for what, for how long, on which platform and when
• There is the facility within the Starter Kit CMS to 'turn off' content and services from either DiTV or mobile (i.e.: there may be some services that are particularly applicable on DiTV that are not so well suited to mobile, - or vice versa - these can be removed from the mobile/DiTV service easily by ticking a box in the CMS)
• Looking Local offers training on the Starter Kit CMS
• No capital investment is required, use of the Starter Kit is based on an annual subscription model

System Connectors (Plugins)

The most popular Looking Local microsites are those that have integrated useful databases offering viewers a real-time, end to end transaction or service. Integrating the Looking Local Starter Kit with your existing databases and systems is possible using a 'plugin'. A plugin is simply an easy way for two computers to communicate via the industry standard protocol, XML.

Developing a plugin is not onerous. Provided the 'XML' information conforms to the Looking Local standard (described in our Plugin Developers Guide) you can link virtually any appropriate backend computer system to your microsite. Plugins can be developed by the microsite owner, a technical partner or Looking Local. Full support for developers is provided in the form of comprehensive information and via a dedicated forum on the web that is monitored daily.

The Starter Kit can pass information across SSL encrypted lines - the same as any website - requiring PIN and personal reference numbers, to be entered and verified before allowing the user to enter the system. Ensuring true security of data so that citizens can only look at their accounts and records of access can be logged.

The most useful and popular plugins are developed to integrate with the heaviest used databases. In Barnsley the service offers the ability to link with the Housing Benefit system, to allow the citizen to check the status of their housing benefit claim. This means that calls to the call centre are reduced as citizens can self serve via the TV.

Other examples of plugins

Avon and Somerset Police developed seven plugins to deliver existing information and transactions from various systems available from their website - including their 'most wanted' database which provides images and information on outstanding crimes in the area. They were able to do this in just two days, to read about their experience click here and to see this service in action click here

Southend integrated their 'Where I Live' database, which has a wealth of local information for residents, their story can be read here and To see this service in action click here

Barnsley has developed a plugin to integrate with their local Waste Collection database. This allows viewers to enter their postcode or address details and be told on what days their bins are collected. In that this is a frequently requested piece of information - especially around holiday times - this is a quick and simple piece of integration work that can divert resources to more personal and/or involved enquiries. Again this information is available 24 hours a day as and when required by the customer. To see this service in action click here

South Yorkshire Transport Executive has commissioned ACIS to develop a real time bus timetable plugin for Looking Local. GPS satellite generated bus times are already provided to the SYPTE website and they have now made this available to on Looking Local. This allows citizens to find out the next buses arriving at their local bus stop from the comfort of their own home, prior to commencing a journey. This is particularly useful for the elderly and citizens in rural areas. To see this service in action click here

LB Islington has now integrated their online payment system to accept payments via DiTV and mobile. Customers in Islington can pay their council tax, rent and penalties via Looking Local safely and securely. Integration with their backend systems is complete and the transaction is handled in the same fashion as their PC customers. Passwords and confirmation receipts are built in to give the customer complete confidence in the service which is as immediate as online payments. To see this service in action click here

Alongside payments, LB Islington has integrated their housing repairs system which takes tenants through a series of questions to isolate the repair required, the urgency of their need and then schedules the appropriate response. Tenants can also look at real-time statements, report anti-social behaviour and environmental issues and a raft of other request and reporting issues, all of which are fully integrated with their back office workflow and are handled in the same time frame and manner as other online and telephone requests. To see this service in action click here

Wychavon DC has worked with their Choice Based Lettings partner Abritas to develop a CBL plugin. This allows citizens to login, browse and bid on properties that they are eligible for. To see this service in action click here

Following on from the success of the Abritas plugin, Home Connections and IBS Open Systems have also created plugins to their CBL systems widening the number of partners being able to easily offer these useful and accessible services to their DiTV and mobile audiences. A choice based lettings case study can be read here.

Herts Direct has integrated their Internet site Content Management System via a plugin to reduce their need to publish news and other content twice. To see this service in action click here

North Lanarkshire has created a plugin to its Library Services, offering citizens the ability to register for the library e-Booking system, book a PC session and library items (book, CD, DVD etc.). To see this service in action click here

e@SY Connects (South Yorkshire) has plugged in to their e-Petitioing database allowing people to view current and completed petitions as well as sign petitions them. To see this service in action click here

The London Borough of Brent has developed a property search plugin, providing local information on a property such as ward, polling stations, rubbish collection day, council tax bands, local schools etc. To see this service in action click here

Rhondda Cynon Taf has integrated with the Jobs Go Public database, offering access to real time public sector jobs. To see this service in action click here

e@SY Connects (South Yorkshire) has developed an e-Mentoring system, which offers basic messaging and forum access and posting, to be used for educational purposes with possible expansions of the programme to other agencies such as Youth Workers, Social Workers, Probation Officers, Drug Councillors etc. To see this service in action click here

Sheffield has integrated with its School Texting Service, offering a summary of school term times and notices in an authenticated service. To see this service in action click here

The opportunities are endless and many ideas regarding plugin development are currently being investigated by microsite owners. Looking Local is also often contacted by system providers wanting to undertake integration of a whole system - we also proactively contact those suppliers we think would be of most benefit to our partners - which allows all their local government customers to offer the service.

Looking Local works on the principle of build once and share widely, as now being experienced with the EMIS GP Appointments and repeat prescriptions and the various choice based lettings services. These were all developed locally, piloted and are now available nationwide to any organisation who works with these outfits.