Gwynedd Website Tops Welsh Awards

Huw Ynyr, Senior IT Manager; Gwynedd Cabinet Member, Councillor Ioan Thomas and Eleri Williams, Website Manager ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Gwynedd Council’s website has been recognised as the joint-top Welsh council site at a UK awards ceremony for public sector digital services. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The Better Connected Awards were based on independent surveys carried out by IT professionals that reviewed a range of online services and information. The review of the Gwynedd Council website noted that it was a “very customer focused site” and that it was easy to navigate the site and to search for online services and information offered by the Council. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

With more and more people going online via smart-phones and tablets, it was noteworthy that the independent review gave top marks for the Gwynedd website in terms of browsing the site on such mobile devices. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Councillor Ioan Thomas, Gwynedd Council Cabinet Member with responsibility for the website said: ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“As a Council, our aim is to ensure that Gwynedd residents are able to access information or request a service easily and conveniently. That’s why, when the website was developed, we wanted a site that was based on the needs of Gwynedd residents and which was easy to use on a range of different devices. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“I am therefore extremely pleased that this national award based on independent evaluation of the Council’s online services ranked Gwynedd as the best in Wales, with top marks in terms of navigation of the site and search functions. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“The Gwynedd website allows residents to carry out a range of Council services online, from ordering a new recycling box and reporting problems such as dog fouling to telling us about a change in circumstances with regards to Council Tax. I am delighted that the hard work of Council staff that goes into developing and maintaining the site has been recognised at these UK-wide awards. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Over the next few months, we will aim to build on this success, with a programme to increase the online services available set to be developed.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The Gwynedd Council website allows residents to access information and services 24 hours a day, seven-days-a-week. Go to www.gwynedd.llyw.cymru ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Gwynedd Council was awarded ‘Best Welsh Unitary’ website at the recent Better Connected Awards along with Flintshire County Council. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​