Beacon Council
Beacon Council status
Beacon Council status is the highest central government award for quality in public services.
Liverpool City Council has achieved Beacon Council status for three of its services:
- Community Legal Services (CLS).
- Libraries and Information Services.
- Social Inclusion through ICT.
Community Legal Services (CLS)
Award date: 2000-2003.
Working with the Legal Services Commission, the council bought together providers to help local people find good legal advice.
The network includes:
- Citizens Advice Bureau service;
- Private solicitors;
- Voluntary advice agencies;
- Libraries and one stop shops;
- Age Concern;
- Merseyside Society for Deaf People;
- Liverpool 8 Law Centre and a host of other agencies.
The award recognised that CLS is showing the way for other councils.
Libraries and information services
Award date: 2002-2003.
In the last three years Liverpool 's Libraries and Information Services has opened or refurbished nine libraries.
As well as a vast collection of books, videos, CDs and magazines, Liverpool libraries provide free internet access and computer sessions at all 24 public libraries in the city.
Over 50 councils visited Liverpool libraries to learn from our experience.
In 2002 Liverpool's Central Library won best UK Online Centre for the North West providing up to 50 computer terminals for people of all ages and abilities.
Support is provided by experienced staff including tutors from the council's Adult Learning Service.
Other developments include:
- Surfzone for teenagers to surf the internet free of charge.
- Xpresszone for people on the move to send and receive emails.
- Combined libraries and one stop shops at Wavertree and Garston which set a model for other councils to follow.
Social Inclusion through ICT
Award date: 2000-2004.
Liverpool has a vision of becoming Europe's most citizen and business- friendly city, well known for electronic service delivery.
A number of projects helped Liverpool to win this award, including our 24 hour, 7 day a week contact centre and our community one stop shops.
Other notable initiatives include:
- On-street kiosks, allowing customers to pay, request and track services, and access free email and the internet.
- Lingoland, a website for Somali and Yemeni children.