New Tools Improve Service Delivery
Description
Customer
Dumfries and Galloway Council
Challenge
Develop a range of business focused GIS tools that will improve service delivery.
Solution
Set of innovative new applications for Dumfries and Galloway’s existing intranet GIS (DGi,).
Benefits
Improvement in service delivery.
Services
Consultancy:
- Technical
“The Neighbour Notification Tool is an excellent example of cross service collaboration delivering a tool that meets a number of shared needs for both licensing and planning teams” Barry Young, GIS Officer, Dumfries and Galloway Council
Challenge
Forth Valley GIS were commissioned to develop the first phase of priority service management tools that would improve the efficiency, effectiveness and quality of service planning and delivery across a range Dumfries and Galloway Council’s services.
We had already helped the council establish a highly efficient framework of geographic information management procedures and associated technologies (GIS Provides Efficiencies case study) through the development of their intranet GIS called DGi, this provided a platform upon which they could build a range of business focused applications that would maximise the return on this initial investment.
Solution
We worked closely with Dumfries and Galloway Council’s staff to define and develop a range of new business applications available via DGi. Not only do these tools source the most up-to-date data from the council’s centrally managed data store, data can also be edited for immediate viewing by all staff. Some of the new tools include:
Neighbour Notification Tool
Developed in response to licensing legislation, the neighbour notification tool supports the process of identifying proposed licensing applications and notifying affected parties. Specifically, the tool allows officers to:
- Identify the property that is the subject of the application.
- Draw or trace boundaries to outline the application area.
- Identify adjacent properties to be notified.
- Add or remove properties by further geographic selection.
- Produce map-based reports which include a full audit of officer actions.
Register Planning Applications (RPA) Tool
Taking advantage of key functionality of the neighbour notification tool, the RPA tool supports the end to end process of registering planning applications. Planning staff can use the RPA tool to register the planning application boundary, check constraints and notify neighbours.
Road Watch
Helps broadcast information relating to incidents and emergency road closures, allowing contact centre staff to flag reported road incidents, before this information is communicated to the public via the council website and email alerts.
Key Schemes
Project managers use the Key Schemes tool to record information relating to major programmes of work , including town centre improvement projects. All staff has immediate access to important information, for example, the geographic extent and status of these ‘Key Schemes’ via DGi.
Results
Service Delivery
- Developed in close consultation with staff, the applications meet the very specific needs of end-users.
- Streamlined working practices reduces the need to work across multiple systems.
- Officers can respond more quickly and efficiently to service requests and queries from the public.
Value for Money
- Extends the capabilities of DGi to maximise the return on this original investment.
- New tools can be added, for example, the Neighbour Notification Tool has been extended to meet the needs of planning teams with minimal additional development effort.
Information Quality
- Access to data and applications is restricted to those who need it, in line with good information management practice.
- The content and quality of information being created and used within the council can be more effectively monitored and controlled.