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News

Online Consultation Gambles On Success

Following their recent national success with the online consultation of the Licensing Act 2003 the Borough of Poole's Licensing Team are aiming for a repeat performance with the launch of their new online consultation for the Gambling Act 2005 .

In the Society of Information Technology Managers' (SocITM) annual survey of council websites earlier this year boroughofpoole.com was recognised as only one of six local authority websites nationally able to answer all of the questions asked of it about the Licensing Act 2003.  This result came at the time when boroughofpoole.com was rated in the top 20 as one of the most developed council websites in the country.

In the survey, SocITM tested the ease of use of the licensing area of the website and assessed issues such as the ability to obtain documents and information to the ease of complaining on line. The survey found that the licensing section was an example of good practice achieving an overall rating of 'very good'.

In total the licensing web pages received over 1230 hits in the 12 month run up to the start of the Licensing Act 2003 and the 350 online downloads of the licensing policy document resulted in a cost saving of £2,000 in print and postage.

Now, the team hope to replicate this success with the online consultation of the draft Gambling Policy following the introduction of the Gambling Act 2005 . Similar to the Licensing Act, the Gambling Act transfers the issue of gaming permits, notices and premises licences from the magistrates to the local authority.

Letters have already been sent to all relevant consultees directing them to www.boroughofpoole.com/licensing and any resident wishing to see the draft policy document and make comments should follow the links to the Gambling Policy.

Councillor Guy Montrose, Chairman of the Licensing Committee at Borough of Poole said: "We were delighted with being recognised in the top six for the licensing pages on our website which were designed to make a complicated process easy and accessible for those directly affected. We have built on this success and developed a similar online service in response to the launch of the Gambling Act which we are confident will deliver just as good a service, if not better."

Frank Wenzel, Licensing Officer, Environment and Consumer Protection Services 01202 261782