Directgov mobile, built and tested by Cimex Media UK, is the first cross-government service available on mobile. For the first time, citizens can access key information and services on the move.

Key to Directgov mobile is location-based services that connect the citizen directly to local services. It enables the citizen to interact with government whenever they want to and wherever they are.

By entering a postcode or location, citizens can search for an ever-expanding range of services. For the first time, the NHS local service search is available on mobile devices. You can find local doctors, dentists, opticians, pharmacies, hospitals, walk-in centres and A&E.

Directgov mobile provides a fully searchable database of legal advice in England and Wales. Many of the people who need these services most do not have access to computers but do have an internet-enabled phone.

The service provides a gateway to local government services with a simple search of all local authorities in the UK. Users can find their council, and click the phone number to contact them directly. For people who need access to PCs and the internet, Directgov Mobile can tell you where to find their local UK online centre.

Directgov mobile also provides free access to the latest travel information from Transport Direct – latest delays to public transport and roads across the UK; as well as train arrival and departure times.

Whilst free from landlines, 0800 numbers are not free on mobile. Directgov Mobile includes a call-back service where citizens can access free careers and learning advice from learndirect and not pay for the call.

Nominated by Solange Nolan, 26 March 2007

Sounds very nice - even if it *is* being nominated by the marketing manager of the firm that built it. If DirectGov is anything to go by, though, I bet it doesn't work in Wales or Scotland.

Speaking of which, I have a question: if it's so bloody good, why don't you tell us where to find it?

Zero stars, I'm afraid.

Submitted by Peter, 25 April 2007

Your not the first person to mention this, Peter. It would seem the (many) comments have been removed, through sheer embarrissment I expect. So here are a few from a bookmarked page I luckily kept.

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What a steaming pile of manure! Local DirectGov has been a HUGE waste of taxpayers money and has delivered NOTHING of value. It stands as a shining example of this government's blundering incompetence in delivering IT projects (or anything else except perhaps illegal wars and undeserved death and misery for millions of Iraqis)

Submitted by Robert Johns, 11 April 2007

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This project has been an abject failure, and has served up nothing but unfulfilled promises. It was badly conceived, badly delivered and has wasted a mountain of cash. Those responsible for this farce of a project should be barred from public office for all time.

Submitted by Peter Lank, 11 April 2007

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I take it this nomination is some kind of April Fool's joke?

I'm a local authority webmaster; and LDG took stupendous amounts of my time to comply with whilst delivering essentially no traffic to the website. Typically we see a few 10's of referers per month from DirectGov / Local DirectGov compared with many tens of thousands per month from Google. No prizes for guessing where my time in search engine optimisation is better spent...

It would be worth investigating not just how much money has been directly spent on this shambles - and for what miniscule benefit - but also how much more has been spent in wasted time across 388 local authorities. perhaps a reputable magazine with an interest in civic society might care to carry out some enquiries.

Submitted by J James, 11 April 2007

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Congratulations to the Local Direct Gov team for once again giving everyone the opportunity to give them a public kicking. Welcome back, guys, you've been away too long!

I should like to pick up on one grain of truth in your self-congratulatory write up. The "engagement support officer" in my neck of the woods was indeed very helpful. In fact, the nature of the "support" was that they did ALL the work. 'Cos there was no way I was going to. I predicted a disaster at the time and I'm glad to see that my powers of prescience didn't fail me.

I loved the Prince2 comment too! Shame they forgot that every Prince2 project begins with a business case.

Can't wait for Government Connect to be nominated next year!!

Submitted by Jonty Grimbergen, 16 April 2007

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Bring back open.gov.uk!

Submitted by D Irectgove, 17 April 2007

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As Private Eye would say - 'trebles all round'!

Local DirectGov was a completely wasted opportunity to bring together disparate council information. This nomination consists of a tissue of half-truths, but does show how unknowledgable they assume those who award the New Media awards are. Now we know what happened to 'Comical Ali'...

Submitted by Marketing Gurus ahoy, 17 April 2007

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You can see how valuable Local Directgov is by taking a quick visit to www.directionlessgov.com

Submitted by Another LA worker, 18 April 2007

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In March my LA site received approximately 0.33% of its page views from visitors referred by Directgov and LocalDirectGov. Need I say more.

Submitted by G Brockbank, 18 April 2007

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As someone involved in the building of two sites that really links central and local government (www.bdirect.org.uk and www.bradford.gov.uk in case the award organisers want to take a look at how it should be done), can I just ask why there isn't the possibility of a zero, or even minus one, rating for this nomination.

Given that every local authority in England and Wales was required by the e-gov initiative to put a tick in the "register an interest in Local Directggov", it is extremely rich of them to say "all councils had to be engaged– a passive “done to” status was not an option."

Can anyone come up with a business case for the amount of time and money spent on providing a service to the customer who doesn't know which his local authority is (in our case these must be the citizens who have somehow avoided ever getting a council tax bill, as that certainly has our website plastered all over it...)

Submitted by Helen Clipsom, 20 April 2007

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As the escapade in Iraq showed us, you can throw as much money as you've got at something and get a result. Whether it was either the right result or a sustainable solution cannot, however, be guaranteed.

Submitted by Jonty Grimbergen, 23 April 2007

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This nominee is a joke right? Considering work being done by Local Authorities, which surpasses this nominee by far, I'd suggest it's a poor joke. Strike off this nomination. In fact, who is responsible for nominating this farcical site? Heads should roll (figuratively speaking of course)!

Submitted by Lee, 25 April 2007

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It's obviously some LDG saddo who nominated the programme, as nobody else would in a million years. What a joke!

Submitted by Lucy Davies, 25 April 2007

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Hey DirectGov, you're a month early with the April Fool!

Submitted by James, 29 April 2007

Submitted by Lee, 02 May 2007

Lee,

I think you may be a bit confused. Those comments were made in response to the Local Directgov nomination. http://www.newstatesman.com/nma/nma2007/nominations/20070301...

We do not censor the comments on this site just for being negative about an entry. This is an open forum to discuss these sorts of projects and we welcome everyone's opinions.

Submitted by charlotte, 04 May 2007