A £120 million local government E-revolution in North Yorkshire has begun.

Work has started on the groundbreaking partnership between York-based business process services company Agilisys and five North Yorkshire authorities to bring integrated hi-tech solutions to council services throughout the region.

The vision is of a public brought closer to public services by technology. This means that at the touch of a cubicle screen or at a mouseclick on your home computer, you can study planning applications in your area or submit one yourself; register your baby's birth; monitor your complaint through the departments; or even pay council tax or parking fines

The project simultaneously kicks off with different initiatives for different councils to meet individual needs.

These will then be proven pilot schemes for the other local authorities to take up later.

In York, Agilisys is undertaking a strategic review of how phone calls are handled in relation to Streetscene, the city council's project to improve the look and feel of the streets of York

Hambleton is leading on a one-stop shop initiative, using technology to provide information needed for "joined up" services which can be accessed by a single council employee faced with a query. For example, council tax inquiries and planning submissions can be dealt with by one person alone.

North Yorkshire County Council leads with its own initiative to create a "transactional website" so that the public can not only access information, but also make applications. For instance, disabled people can apply for concessionary blue parking badges and students can apply for educational grants.

Plans for better "e-government" are also being drawn up for Ryedale and Richmondshire district councils

Meanwhile, Agilisys is also working with other authorities, including Staffordshire County Council.

Charles Mindenhall, chief executive of Agilisys, said: "We have already made a substantial investment in technical development, pilot projects and staff recruitment which has risen from 300 two years ago, to 550 with perhaps 150 more by the end of this year."

The company is also in the process of building new offices to cope with its growing manpower and workload.

Agilisys, which is half-owned by Jarvis, occupies an entire floor at Hudson House, York, as well as temporary offices at the Transco site in Heworth Green.

Now the steelwork structure of what will be a five-storey, 25,000sq ft building called Meridian 2 is being developed at the Crescent, off Blossom Street, by Yorkshire property firm, The Helmsley Group and its clients, The Blossom Street Venture.

Building work by Malton-based S Harrison Construction and the McBevil Partnership, should be completed by the end of this year.

Three of the floors will be occupied by Agilisys with the remaining two by Jarvis.

Updated: 10:06 Thursday, February 26, 2004