Case Study: Office of the Deputy Prime Minister achieves SMS-enabled e-government and improved citizen engagement with Cadcorp

Office of Deputy Prime Minister - Customer Case Study

The Office of Deputy Prime Minister aimed to meet its Local e‑Government Programme targets to ensure local authorities could deliver priority services electronically in ways citizens would use, including in rural areas with limited PC/Internet access. Faced with long travel distances and low home internet penetration, the ODPM encouraged councils to explore new channels; Cadcorp was brought in to provide a GIS component (GeognoSIS.NET) to test SMS as an alternative access channel.

Cadcorp’s GeognoSIS.NET was integrated into a Web/SMS service (deployed by West Devon Borough Council) that lets users pinpoint areas on a map, register grid references, and receive automated SMS alerts (delivered via 2SMS Ltd) when new planning applications match their area. Cadcorp’s solution enabled spatially based registration and notification, extending reach to citizens without regular web access, speeding up planning consultations and improving inclusion; the pilot went live by mid‑2005 and, although formal metrics were still pending, early results showed broader engagement and more timely notifications.