LOCAL council websites should be converted into interactive 'online communities' with access for all.

Many council websites are just a list of services online, but, according to Carole Boardman, major project manager at Connect Internet Solutions, councils should be working to make their websites attractive, interactive, dynamic and easy to use for both residents and businesses.

Speaking at Internet World in Manchester on Thursday (November 15), Ms Boardman highlighted the challenges facing councils embracing the wired world.

The key to success, she said, was creating an online community, which does not exclude anyone.

Ms Boardman said that it was important to integrate all of the services in local government in one area and devolve the responsibility of content authoring to the relevant departments.

''A website doesn't update automatically and quite often the people better equipped to solve problems or write about an issue are based in departments of local government.

''You need to consider the technical capabilities of those in the departments. Do they have ICT (information and communication technologies) skills and how much extra training do they need?''

In the future, councils will have to publish on several different platforms such as digital television, mobile phones and personal data devices.

And it is not just services they should be providing, says Ms Boardman. She argues that councils should be promoting e-learning and offer local organisations the chance to promote events.

On accessibility to online services she said: ''For those in lower socio-economic groups, the elderly and the young, you need to address their needs to provide e-government to these groups.''

This should include an education programme to promote e-services and the information should be accessible from a number of sources, from kiosks to public access points in libraries.