Islanders should soon be able to access centralised links to complete their tax returns, check when the next bus is arriving at a stop, apply for student finance, borrow eBooks from the library and check what age they will start receiving their States pension on the planned eGov web portal.
The project team hopes that after a private test phase, which is currently being carried out, the website can be opened publicly on a restricted basis in the first quarter of next year and fully rolled out once any problems are dealt with.
Islanders should also be able to look up details including local amenities, the names of parish officials, recycling collection times and even when the next branchage is taking place. Details of their medical records could also be put online.
Another planned feature is a map which would allow Islanders to look up the nearest car parks, public toilets, bus stops, bus routes and recycling centres. As part of the project Islanders will also be able to access a complete record of all their online interactions with the States.
Jonathan Williams, the business change director in the Chief Minister’s Department, said that both Islanders and States employees would have much easier access to information once the site was launched.
‘Customers and the States officers will be able to look at all these documents and information on one web page,’ he said.
‘This is a long way forward from where we are at the moment.’
He added that the States were in negotiations with businesses about the introduction of a digital ID system, which would give Islanders a unique identity code for the portal allowing them to access data and services.
Islanders who do not wish to sign up for a digital ID will continue to be able to have offline options, such as contact centres and face-to-face support for services.
Last year, the eGov project came under fire from both the Public Accounts Committee and the Chamber of Commerce and was criticised for lacking a central objectives documents and for having spent £8 million of its £10 million budget after making questionable progress. Mr Williams insisted, however, that the project was still within budget and meetings his team had had with the Chamber had been helpful.
‘It’s always to helpful to receive constructive criticism. We have a central document and we are being very true to the deliverables of that,’ he said.
‘With the exception of digital ID, which we always flagged was going to cost more than the original business case anticipated, we are looking to finish the eGov programme and bring the main components live by the end of the third or fourth quarter of 2018.
‘From a budget perspective we will come in on budget this year and we are forecast to be on budget next year as well.’
Deputy Scott Wickenden, who has political oversight for the project, added: ‘It’s not just about putting up a website. There are a lot of different components behind it.’
