Laura Sharman 03 March 2014

Councils ‘struggling’ to keep up with rise in mobile access

Local government websites are ‘struggling’ to adapt to the rapid growth in the use of mobile phones to access services, according to a new survey.

Socitm’s Better Connected survey found that only 31% of council sites achieved the Better connected standard for mobile access, even though a third of visits come from mobile devices.

The assessment also found that tasks tested on mobiles were only half as good as those tested on desktop devices. Socitm said this suggests councils are finding it difficult to match the quality of experience on the desktop with that on mobile devices.

This is the first year that testing of website performance on mobile devices has been fully incorporated into the assessment. Four of the 14 top tasks tested for the 2014 survey were done so exclusively on mobile devices.

Of the 14 tasks tested, the ‘apply for a copy birth certificate’ worked the best, while ‘Find out about care homes for elderly relative’ performed poorly. While there has been improvements this year in the use of search, accessibility has declined.

Making payment processes smarter  image

Making payment processes smarter

It can be challenging to find the right software to streamline payment processes. Lewis McKenna-Crisp argues SmarterPay has the ideal solution for councils.
SIGN UP
For your free daily news bulletin
Highways jobs

Director of Public Health

Royal Borough of Greenwich
Up to £131,210
The Public Health department is at the heart of the council’s business. Greenwich, London (Greater)
Recuriter: Royal Borough of Greenwich

Head of Regeneration and Growth

Plymouth City Council
£68,387 - £74,411 (MFS and relocation available, pay award pending)
This is a unique opportunity to lead our award-winning development team and directly deliver hundreds of millions of pounds of projects. Plymouth, Devon
Recuriter: Plymouth City Council

Director of Adult Social Care

Wiltshire Council
£119,390 - £127,137
Join us as the Director of Adult Social Care and make a real difference to people’s lives. Wiltshire
Recuriter: Wiltshire Council

Assistant Director Planning, Performance & Engagement

East Sussex County Council
up to £97,700
With strong local communities, unspoilt countryside and vibrant coastal towns, East Sussex offers an exceptional quality of life to many. East Sussex
Recuriter: East Sussex County Council

Director of Finance & Commerce

Lancashire County Council
Up to £114,339
You will play a critical role in driving the organisation through complex change and innovation. Lancashire
Recuriter: Lancashire County Council
Linkedin Banner