Local To Me

Submitted by: Sanj Raj

Website: http://www.jardevelopments.com/showUsABetterWay.html

Describe your idea. How does it work and who does it help?

Local To Me is web site where a postcode and/or street name is entered and all local information relating to that area is displayed. E.g. Crime, health, education, property, transport etc.

The purpose of Local To Me is to have all local information effecting you on one site ensuring it is easy to find, instead of having to search for it on different web sites. With the current central and local government web sites some of the simplest information is scattered across web sites and often buried deep within other information.

Local To Me is aimed at residents who want local information quickly and easily via the website or their mobile phones. The site will appeal across all age groups, sectors and backgrounds. As well as a source of information the site will create an awareness encouraging local residents to participate and play an active part in their community.

Key features/services that will be provided via the site include:

Local news, weather, traffic updates, maps
Local upcoming events
Local schools, education centers, providing data i.e. contact, age group, catchment, characteristics, current and previous inspection reports, grades etc
Local amenities, community centers, youth clubs, halls with relevant details
Information on local health centers, NHS hospitals, PCT, GP Surgeries e.g. contact, location, catchment, specialties, current and previous inspection reports etc
Local childcare facilities with reports
Details and interaction with local council/authorities for example:

- Departmental information e.g. contacts, cost and budgets reports
- Planning applications. Allow the resident to adjust the radius of applications since they may not want to view applications that are 2 miles away but only ones that are 200 metres away.
- Submit ideas to council and residents can vote which ones are the best
- Send pictures of vandalism, graffiti, dumped rubbish, abandon vehicles etc to the council via a GPS mobile phone, or MMS or a regular camera on a map
- Contact the council departments using an online form with real time updates as to its status. (E.g. Received, acknowledge, in-progress, being actioned, closed etc)

Local property statistics, prices, property types
Local population statistics, demographics, age, background, sex etc.
Local labour market statistics e.g. average wages, working age, unemployment, local industries, occupation type, labour supply, education, trends  etc
Local crime statistics, offence type, police manpower and budget, trends and patterns
Local pollution statistics, history and trends
MP and council member details
There will be a search function for residents to search for data/statistics/reports within the area
The site will tie in with all the local central and local public organisations providing residents with up-to-date information.
Graphical displays of statistics/data

The site does not simply list links to other external sites, it will be fully interactive thus allowing users to interact with the data and view the data without leaving the web site.

The site will be user friendly with information clearly displayed, ultimately helping the user to access information from one source:  'Local To Me'.

What information or services do you need?

Relevant statistical data, XML data, feeds etc. which will support the above.

Comments

[Dave Rowe on 06 October 2008 at 12:09 PM]

Hasn't this been done before? Camden have something similar with www.myjourney.org.uk and all councils have the ability (but not the funding) to roll this out.