Large local authority in Europe overhauls resident information service with ESRI UK

ESRI UK has enabled Birmingham City Council, Europe’s largest local authority, to give its citizens quick online access to interactive maps and details about local services and activities.

The ‘My Local Information’ service sits on the recently re-launched www.birmingham.gov.uk website. Birmingham residents can search for an address or postcode to find local facilities such as nearest school, local Councillor and MP, waste collection days, recycling facilities, libraries, museums and neighbourhood offices.

The service has been launched by a team from the Council's 'Excellence in Information Management' programme as part of a Council-wide Business Transformation initiative, and can be added to as it develops. A second phase was launched in Spring, enabling citizens to interact with the Council to report faults such as defective street lighting. ‘My Local Information’ is powered by ESRI UK’s LocalView, a browser-based knowledge-sharing application which manages spatial data. 

The launch of citizen-facing GIS follows on from the Council’s internal adoption of ESRI technology to replace an Integrated Property Management System (IPMS). A Birmingham City Council spokesperson said: “The new technology is an integral part of our plans to improve customer service. Partnering with ESRI UK enables us to serve our residents through a common mapping database which can display a wide range of valuable information based on their location within the city. The system will also be a key part of our aim to help the council save costs through more efficient ways of working.”

Richard Waite, Managing Director, ESRI UK, said: “At least 80 per cent of data in local government systems has a spatial component, whether it is addresses, postcodes, administrative areas, road names or any of the other assets stored throughout an authority. Geographic information underpins fundamental government tasks. Birmingham is one of a growing number of local authorities with the vision to harness the power of geographic information system (GIS) technology to deliver service improvements and create efficiency savings.”

ESRI UK helps businesses become more profitable and public service more efficient through the better use of geographic information. The ability to understand customers' needs and harness the power of GIS for the long-term benefit of organisations is what we call Visionary Thinking.

Internet: www.esriuk.com