Hi-tech Castle Point Council, which is upgrading its communication systems, is launching a £25,000 interactive website on May 1.

The site is still being uploaded and developed, but when finished will offer much more information than the current website launched in April 2000.

In future the new website could also include the chance for people to make payments online, and it is to have links to a special business section.

It is being devised by an independent provider called Web Labs, and paid for thanks to a special grant for Electronic Government.

This grant is also helping to fund the council's new intranet, with a document handling system to allow residents, councillors and staff the chance to retrieve minutes of meetings and agendas.

There are also plans for a new £28,326 telephone system to help with call handling, call queuing, and voice mail. The idea is to route calls efficiently to the right areas.

Meanwhile, the council's plans for an internet upgrade between its satellite work places on Benfleet and Canvey are currently on hold.

This is needed to transmit data more easily between the different offices, but the £16,726 work would need a controversial antenna on Benfleet Water Tower.

Planning committee members have deferred a decision on whether or not to grant permission for this, so talks can be held to find out exactly what is needed and why.

Published Monday, April 28, 2003

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