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By Upbeat Productions on
Hydrant were successful in the tender process and chosen as preferred suppliers for Staffordshire Moorlands council website services for the next 5 years, as part of this we implemented a single shared-service website for both Staffordshire Moorlands and High Peak Borough Council.
Why Drupal was chosen:
Hydrant was chosen as the supplier to partner with both authorities and create web sites that reflected the changes brought about by this transformation programme.Each authority needed a distinct identity within any shared solution, which also must:
- Promote modal shift and increase online transactions
- Ensure users can find information easily
- Generate efficiency savings in site and content administration
- Maximise user satisfaction
Hydrant recognised that Drupal multi-site would be able to meet these challenges,
Describe the project (goals, requirements and outcome):
The Challenge
In 2007, Staffordshire Moorlands District Council and High Peak Borough Council developed a joint transformation programme to share services, leverage technology, and promote best practices across the two organisations in order to reduce costs and improve efficiencies. This programme included their public websites, which both authorities use to provide information on recycling, housing, licensing and other council services for local residents. Hydrant was chosen as the supplier to partner with both authorities and create web sites that reflected the changes brought about by this transformation programme. Each authority needed a distinct identity within any shared solution, which also must:
- Promote modal shift and increase online transactions
- Ensure users can find information easily
- Generate efficiency savings in site and content administration
- Maximise user satisfaction
The Solution
Hydrant recognised that Drupal multi-site would be able to meet these challenges, with two distinct sites linked by a common Content Management System. The team developed a simple, easy-to-understand navigation structure, creating top task areas to promote online transactions based on service area, transaction type or democratic function.
They also integrated Google maps to enable postcode search for common reference information, electoral details and a distance-based “in your area” search.
To aid transparency and democracy the team also created, on the main page, an area for council meeting agendas and minutes, upcoming meetings and information about councillors.
The Results
The project was completed on time and within budget, delivering:
- 90,000 property references loaded onto both sites allowing each property postcode search to show refuse collection schedules, council tax bands, councillor and electoral details
- In excess of 1,300 council meetings added for both site – including 12,000 individual meeting documents uploaded for both sites
- 30 site editors actively managing content over both sites
- Over 20 transactional forms including payment of Council tax, reporting of missed bin collection and bulky item collection
- Average page load times of less than 2 seconds
- Integration with Twitter and Facebook
Technical specifications
Key modules/theme/distribution used:
Why these modules/theme/distribution were chosen:
The team integrated Google maps to enable postcode search for common reference information, electoral details and a distance-based “in your area” search.
Organizations involved:
Sectors:
Community
Government
