e-Government awards finalist

11 October 2006

A highly successful and innovative system developed by Method4 has reached the finals of the e-Government National Awards 2006 after being nominated by the Welsh Assembly Government.

The Data Exchange Wales initiative (DEWi) allows Schools, LEAs and the Welsh Assembly Government to share, exchange, validate and report on statutory data securely over the internet, helping to meet e-Government guidelines. DEWi has achieved over 99.9% availability since it went live in January; over 5,500 files have been exchanged by 99% of schools and 100% of LEAs in Wales.

Jane Davidson, Minister for Education, Lifelong Learning and Skills commented, "recognition through the e-Government awards celebrates our ability to use technology effectively and innovatively to meet the needs of all those committed to our vision of Wales as a learning country."

The awards have become the UK's highest level commendation for the best e-Government services. Through innovative online delivery or IT implementation, these services have positively transformed the lives of citizens, local communities, business and stakeholder groups. The awards are supported by the Cabinet Office e-Government Unit, the Office of Government Commerce; the Society of Local Authority Chief Executives (SOLACE) and the Society of IT Management (SOCITM). Finalists include a great diversity and spread of excellence in e-Government and public sector IT right across the UK.

DEWi has reached the finals in the category 'e-Government excellence: Shared Services' that seeks to recognise proven shared services which have delivered effective services and efficiency gains. Darren Chapple, Method4's Technical Director said, "We are delighted that the Welsh Assembly Government and Method4 have been recognised for their commitment to innovative e-Government solutions."

The winners will be announced at a black-tie ministerial dinner taking place at the Savoy in London on 17th January 2007.

Welsh Assembly Government press release...