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Website Usage

Questions

• What sort of information is published on this web site?
• How do I find the information that I am looking for?
• Can I find information on all council services?
• Can I use this web site to interact with the council?
• Do I need any special technology to be able to use this web site?
• Does this site present problems for people with disabilities?
• Can I publish information on the council's web site?
• Isn't this just a gimmick for whizz-kids who can afford expensive computers?
• I still have more questions - whom should I contact?

Answers

What sort of information is published on this web site?

This is the web site for Redditch Council, a district local authority in the county of Worcestershire, England (West Midlands). Within this site you can find information on:the many service that the council provides; your councillors in the borough of  Redditch; how to contact the council or even make a complaint; where to to find places in Redditch and local authority buildings; the latest consultations, publications and performance plans;

...and much more!

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How do I find the information that I am looking for?

We have tried to make the navigation, linking and searching within this site as simple as possible. Here are some of the options available to help you find your way around:

Every page has search engine box in the right side  of the page. Into this box you can type either a single word or a phrase (in quotation marks) and then click on the 'search' button, or press the <ENTER> key on your keyboard, or equivalent. This will display a list of all the pages which match the text of your search. You can then follow the link on each page title to see the full page displayed.

There is a navigation menu at the top of each page, just below the search box, which will either offer help text options (on the home page and help pages), or offer links to the main sections of this site, such as the Services menu, Your Council and Contact information.

There is a navigation menu at the bottom of each page which links to legal notices and help text.

The navigation at the top links to a site map which gives an overview of the structure of this site, indicating the content in each section, and using links throughout. It also give you access to Frequently Asked Questions and Job Section.

You can always return to the home page by clicking the 'Home ' link at the top of every page.

Most pages include a navigation menu at the right side of the screen. This menu will either show links to the main sections of the complete site, or they will show links for a specific service, depending on whereabouts you are in the site.

REMEMBER: if you think you are lost you can always return to the home page via the council logo in the top-left corner of the screen!

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Can I find information on all council services?

Although we have published over five hundred pages of information we realise that there may be some topics which are not covered as comprehensively as others. You can try looking in our A to Z of Services but, if you still can't find the service information you need, please email the Webmaster who can forward your enquiry to the appropriate department.

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Can I use this web site to interact with the council?

Just as we always aim to increase the amount of information we publish, so we are always looking to add new interactive features. As we continue to progress with implementing e-Government in  Redditch, so our on-line transaction services will increase in number.

Pay Online

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Do I need any special technology to be able to use this web site?

No. In developing this web site we have ensured that it can be viewed equally well via PC and Mac platforms, and that it works with all of the most popular browsers; these include:

• Microsoft Internet Explorer version 5+
• Mozilla Firefox 1+
• Netscape version 6+
• Opera version 6+

Some pages within this site are Portable Document Format (PDF) files. To find out more about browsing these files, please visit our special help page on Accessibility.

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Does this site present problems for people with disabilities?

We certainly hope not. Accessibility has been an important consideration in designing this web site. You can view our web pages in Text Only format

However, if you have a disability or you know of someone with a disability who would like to use this web site but has difficulty doing so, please email the Webmaster so we can investigate how to make improvements.

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Can I publish information on the council's web site?

This web site is intended specifically for information about Redditch Council. However, we are always happy to consider partnerships within the community or with organisations in the public and private sector. If you have a proposal for a partnership, please email Redditch Council's Web Manager.

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Isn't this just a gimmick for whizz-kids who can afford expensive computers?

Certainly not! The information and services provided by this web site are intended to be of use to anyone and everyone in Redditch, regardless of skills or home technology.

Although we have tried to make this site as simple as possible to use, we understand that people learn at different speeds and that sometimes a little extra help can go a long way. If you would like to improve your Internet skills why not visit your local Library .

All Libraries have modern Internet PCs available which you can book for your personal use, so now you don't have to own a computer to be able to enjoy the  Redditch Council web site!

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I still have more questions - whom should I contact?

Questions relating to the delivery of council services are best directed to the departments which provide the service. Our Contact a Service page has a drop down menu of service names - if you cannot find the service appropriate to your question please contact  'webmaster' . Your message will then be forwarded to the appropriate department.

At the foot of each page there is a link labelled 'Published By' which opens an email to the department responsible for the information content of the page.

Questions about this web site can be sent directly to the Web Development Team:

The Web Manager is responsible for:

• Customer liaison, scheduling, prioritising and monitoring of work.
• Dealing with enquiries about generating or contributing information to web sites.
• Dealing with enquiries about changing existing information or data sets.
• Analysing customer requests, drawing up specifications and arranging prototype demonstrations.
• Project and change control management.
• Authorisation of web site publications.
• Determining the standards & guidelines under for publishing on the council's web services.
• Delivering the Implementing Electronic Government (IEG) Statement as it applies to web services.
• Investigating, adopting and applying new technologies within the web services.
• Arbitration of contentious issues.
• Advising on building partnerships between the council and public or private sector organisations.
• All technical and design issues on web sites.
• Ensuring service delivery.
• Dealing with security issues.
• Liaison with external technical and application service providers.