Council set to embrace digital age

Reporter: Dawn Marsden
Date published: 07 March 2014


OLDHAM Council is to introduce a new public communications system that could save it more than £800,000.

MyAccount, which is to be launched in phases over the next few months, will allow Oldhamers to use many council services from their mobile phone, from paying council tax and reporting fly tipping and

potholes to organising benefits. The system can also be used at the Access Oldham contact centre and the borough’s 13 libraries.

Once fully engaged, MyAccount will cost around 15p for each interaction with the public, compared to £8.62 for face-to-face interviews and £2.63 on the telephone.

Council leader Jim McMahon said: “While those savings aren’t to be sniffed at, this isn’t just about money. This represents a fantastic opportunity to improve our services. People want convenience, ease of use and open access to information 24/7. We can give them that.

“You may start off using MyAccount to pay your council tax and report a pothole on your street in 2014, but in a few years, who knows what might be possible.”