Greenspace Forum use Kent Connects Portal

Kent Greenspace, Kent and Medway’s forum for Parks and Open Spaces professionals, has signed up to a new Kent Connects service to support virtual working. 

Kent Connects, now Kent and Medway’s lead technology partnership, works with public sector organisations to transform public services through the application of leading edge technology.  Its latest initiative, the Kent Connects Information Sharing Portal, was originally designed to meet its own purposes.  Interest quickly spread however and, with Kent Greenspace one of the first to come on board, the Portal is now transforming the ability of officer networks to work effectively across organisational and geographical boundaries. 

The Portal provides a central point of reference, accessed via the internet.  Its facilities include:

• a searchable calendar with instant information about meetings, agendas and related documents
• discussion forums – enabling virtual conversations
• email alerts to registered users – highlighting additions and changes as they happen
• document folders and ‘self-publishing’ – enabling members to add, amend and share latest documents and developments 

Jeff Kempster, Parks and Open Spaces Manager at Tunbridge Wells Borough Council, is the Chairman of Kent Greenspace.  Jeff explains: “We formed Kent Greenspace because we thought Parks and Open Spaces professionals working in different authorities could usefully work together.  We’ve traditionally held periodic meetings, supplemented by phone calls and email in between.  The Portal is transforming how we work however, making the ‘down time’ between meetings more effective.  It’s easier to keep track of what colleagues are up to day to day, and has cut duplication of effort.  If one of the group is developing a piece of work for their authority for example, we can share their good practice and innovation, provide feedback, and then use it for our own authority.” 

Debbie Wisdom, Strategic Director of Kent Connects comments: “The Portal is a perfect example of what Kent Connects is about: pioneering technical solutions to improve Kent and Medway’s public services.  By helping professionals work better together, services improve – in this instance Kent and Medway’s wonderful open spaces.’ 

Since launching the Portal in Spring 2007, 12 other networks and partnerships have signed up including those responsible for CCTV, auditing and Customer Service.  The cost of the portal starts at £500, including administrator training, web hosting and ongoing support and maintenance. 

Issued: 29 January 2008