Dumfries and Galloway Council’s website is desperately in need of a digital overhaul.
Local authority chiefs have taken on board feedback from members of the public who complain that the website is filled with too much “council speak”, is hard to navigate and “lacks personality”.
There have also been complaints that the site, www.dumgal.gov.uk, does not clearly state what the organisation can and cannot do – and that information is often out of date.
Given that the council’s public website – and intranet/subsites combined – are visited by hundreds of thousands of users per year, plans are under way for a revamp.
An update report on the authority’s digital strategy for 2021-2026 has been produced for the economy and resources committee next Tuesday.
It states: “Our public website is the go-to place to find out more about council services. Most users visited using a mobile phone.
“However, while our digital channels have become the place to find information and services, it is rarely a quick, accessible, and enjoyable experience.
“Our users and stakeholders have shared their frustration with our current digital offering and particularly our public website and intranet.”
The report listed the following most common complaints about the council’s website:
• It is difficult to find and access online information and services;
• It is difficult to connect with the right person/service for help;
• Does not clearly say what the council can and can’t do;
• Messages are not person-focussed, approachable and friendly;
• Websites lack personality and do not reflect what the council represents;
• Information is often out of date, so customers ring the customer contact centre instead;
• Information is often not written in plain English; there is too much council-speak.
The new council digital strategy update report adds: “Users have a right to expect a better digital presence, with more digital information/services, with content and communications being easier to find and digest and the user journey more
intuitive.”
