West Sussex County Council tops UK audit

The work was carried out by smart media company Ecebs among 100 city and county councils.

It said West Sussex County Council had adopted smart technology in five different types of service.

“West Sussex residents can use smart technology to get free public transport if they are elderly or qualify for a pass. It is also used in West Sussex libraries and as a form of cashless payment for social care grants where bank transfers are not possible,” said a statement.

However, it said the majority of schemes being delivered by smart technology for councils were isolated initiatives that could have been integrated using a shared system across council departments, local authorities and social/health care providers, potentially saving thousands or even millions of pounds. Just 29 per cent of councils in the audit used smart technology to deliver more than two local services.

A county council spokesman told the Observer: “We are always looking to use technology to make our services quicker and more effective for residents.”