Councils match Tesco.com for web hits

North Yorkshire County Council, East Riding, Hull, Wakefield, Hambleton, Craven, Richmond, Harrogate, Ryedale, Scarborough and Selby councils all took part in the 'Pride of Place' poll, part of the Connect campaign.

Research published today (20 December) by the Central Office of Information also reveals that in-person visits to council offices have dropped by a quarter since the beginning of the advertising. In the same period, telephone queries are down by 16% and letters by 15%.

People can now access a wide range of council services online, from finding information on rubbish collection, to applying for school places, or paying bills.

Parmjit Dhanda, Minister for Local E-Government said:

"It is clear that residents welcome the chance to put themselves in charge of how, when and where they access their local council services. Our independent survey shows that, in a dramatically growing market, local authority websites are maintaining a consistent share of traffic. This is a marked achievement that confirms the potential of local e-government for delivering an efficient and responsive service culture that is centred on the needs of customers."

The 'Connect to your Council' campaign was launched in May 2006 and runs until March 2008. People visiting the Campaign website at http://www.direct.gov.uk/mycouncil just enter a post code, town or street name, to be directed to the relevant service page of their council's website.