sponsored by Info Exchange
Awarded to the Local Authority or Central Government Department that has delivered an IT project within budget and to specification that furthers the progress of e-government and improves communication channels between government and the citizen.

2011 Winner: London Borough of Redbridge - You Choose
YouChoose is an online budget simulator developed by Redbridge that encourages members of the public to consider where council budget cuts should fall, where efficiencies might be made and where income might be generated. The tool helps councils to engage their citizens in decisions about how they spend their revenue budgets and helps citizens to understand the tough choices faced by their council.

Commended: National Police Improvement Agency - Police National Database
The PND was launched nationally on 22 June this year.  The national system allows users direct access to local force intelligence and other information. Data held on the PND comes from existing force systems that support force intelligence, crime, domestic abuse, child abuse and custody business areas. The PND replaces the IMPACT Nominal Index (INI), an interim solution put in place as a direct response to the recommendations in Lord Bichard’s inquiry report.

Commended: Lincolnshire County Council - Lincs to the Past
Lincs to the Past helps to increase awareness of Lincolnshire’s cultural collections. The website makes available more than 500,000 images of archive documents, maps, photographs and other cultural items, showcasing thousands of years of Lincolnshire history. It also hosts online exhibitions on significant aspects of county history, featuring figures such as Henry VIII, Alfred Lord Tennyson and Margaret Thatcher.

Commended: HM Revenue & Customs - Get IT Help
HMRC developed its ‘Get IT Help’ Intranet pages making it easier and more cost effective for HMRC customers to find online guidance rather than phone its IT Service Centre. Staff engagement significantly increased in the IT department, and the ratio of contact online rather than by phone for IT help increased from 16% to over 27%.

Commended: Nottingham City Council - Portfolio ad copy sharing system
Portfolio is an online marketplace where the public sector can buy, sell and share marketing campaigns. It offers local authorities, health authorities, police and voluntary organisations the chance to save on creatives. Nottingham City Council developed the site where users browse through campaigns and then instantly download them. Artwork can then be adapted to suit local needs.

Commended: Department for Education - IWP Platform
The Department for Education (DfE) has created the Information Workplace Platform (IWP) which provides integrated information, collaboration and business services to 2,500 employees. The IWP has delivered substantial benefits and efficiencies, transforming the DfE by enabling better collaborative working and streamlined business processes. Efficiency gains include a 20% reduction in programme costs, and a 3% reduction in overhead costs.