Town council website 'dull and static' (From South Wales Guardian)

Town council website 'dull and static'

2:00pm Saturday 27th October 2012 in News

“STATIC, dull and no longer relevant.”

That’s the description of Llandovery town council’s website by the man who has been running it.

Cllr Nigel Burgess, who said he had recently analysed use of the website, said he felt it had been “overtaken” by changing technology.

“Facebook and Twitter are now in fashion,” he said.

“Our website is static and dull and, I have concluded, no longer relevant.

“Viewers are encouraged to contact us, but they don’t.

Over the website’s lifetime there have been just 4,750 visits to our homepage and few visitors go beyond the first page.”

He added that the fact the authority had signed up to the Welsh Language Scheme meant parts of the website had to be in Welsh.

Cllr Burgess said he had reduced the site’s content on learning that translation costs amounted to £30 per 1,000 words. “We had a request from one person in town to provide documents and minutes in Welsh,” he said.

Comparing Llandovery’s website unfavourably with Llandeilo town council’s, Cllr Burgess said the neighbouring authority had more resources.

“Llandeilo’s is indeed impressive, but they have three staff officers,” he added.

Cllr Helene Lovell said the council had to move with the times.

“It’s time for me to make a stand, I’ve started addressing our meetings in Welsh, although I’m always happy to translate,” she said.

“We have to look to the future and this is the way forward. We are a Welsh town and have to set an example.”

It was agreed to set up a working party to examine the website and review the Welsh Language Scheme.

● Cllr Lovell successfully moved that in future the council would conduct prayers in Welsh ahead of English at the start of their meetings.