New Shire website launched
MEDIA RELEASE - New Shire website launched
December 2015
A new Shire of Manjimup website went live this week with a new look, structure and functionality.The improvements to the website will enhance the services delivered by the Shire, provide a better user experience and make for an easier and more efficient delivery of up to date information and tools to the community.
The redesign of the website started in early 2015 when an internal working group was established, made up of representatives from each branch within the organisation. The working group spent time exploring the websites of other local governments, determining the features that were useful and important, liaising with those local governments on their web tools and internal processes and developing a mock-up of how the 'new' Shire website could look.
Shire President Wade DeCampo explained that the website, as a communication tool, is a major priority for the Shire. "It is often the first place community members and visitors will go to find information, learn about the area and see what events and activities are on offer. It is the virtual gateway to our region and our services; no doubt one of the most powerful promotional tools and information repositories that we have available."
The new website includes additional capabilities that weren't featured on the previous website. "There is a news feature panel on the home page that will be updated regularly, quick links from the home page, maps and additional platforms upon which our community and visitors can communicate with us, including a new component which enables forms to be completed and submitted online, " added Cr DeCampo.
A company with extensive experience in delivering information technology programs to local government was engaged in mid-2015, with the new website being part of an overall software integration solution that is being rolled out across the Shire over the next 18 months. Additional components include mobile capture which will be used by officers out in the field, a customer request management system and an electronic document management system. "The new software solutions will lead to improved internal processes, which is essentially a benefit that will then be passed onto our customers."
Cr DeCampo congratulated the Shire staff who have been involved in the website build. "This has been a mammoth task from the design phase, gathering information, writing the content and loading each document and photograph, right through to the review phase. The team has once again banded together to deliver an impressive result that we as a community can be very proud of," said Cr DeCampo.
Regular website users are reminded that any bookmarks or favourites that they have saved from the previous Shire of Manjimup website may no longer be active, however all information that was previously available is still available on the new website.
-ENDS-
Authorised by Andrew Campbell, Chief Executive Officer
Contact Gina Nieuwendyk, Coordinator Communication and Executive Support
Contact: 9771 7777
Contact for comment: Wade DeCampo, Shire President
Contact: 0427 094 081
