An on-line aplication I would really appreciate

At a recent SOCITM Futures workshop, I suggested that a good application Local Authorities should consider is to publish their ratings of restaurants and food establishments on the web. Quite a surprise therefore, to see that 8 Staffordshire Authorities have done just that - see www.ratemyplace.org.uk. Not only that but there is an iphone version as well that works whilst you are mobile!

Consider the situation - you are outside 2 unknown restaurants in a strange town considering where you should eat? Which one do you choose? The one with the best review of course!

Part of my surprise stems from the fact that I had previously been assured by environmental health staff that legally this could never happen. (I won't mention the names or authorities.) It always seemed pretty obvious to me that the best way to get a restaurant to change its practices was not to prosecute them but to publicise their failings. The restaurant is therefore forced to change its practices or lose trade.

The use of web 2.0 social networking to publicise bad reports could destroy trade overnight. If I owned a restaurant, I'd request a very quick re-visit to highlight my responsiveness and get a clean bill of health - possibly even something I would pay for if it was permitted.

The only disappointing aspect of rate my place is the lack of coverage. In my London Borough (Hillingdon) I could find nothing about the standards of local food establishments. Its hard to understand why a scheme like rate my place is not a national standard.

It seems to me this is exactly the type of web use we should be developing in Local Authorities. Not only does it give an excellent service to the public but potentially leads to innovative working that challenges the old bureaucratic methods.

So well done Lichfield and your Staffordshire colleagues - come on the rest of you.

Now, has anyone thought of informing residents of new planning applications in their street using Twitter ............ ?