The council’s leader Peray Ahmet explained that the current website is ‘over seven years old’, reports Miriam Balanescu

Haringey Council has responded to a freedom of information (FOI) request revealing that £312,041 has been spent on a new website for the council.

As part of the move to make the website more “accessible”, £120,148.03 will be spent on ‘user research and testing with stakeholders and users’ and the new development of a Drupal 9 platform (meaning an open source digital platform), while £191,893 will be spent on contract staff to help deliver the project.

The council is now facing criticism as it was revealed last week that they have spent £16million over their budget due to soaring social care costs.

Council Leader Cllr Peray Ahmet said: “We want a modern website that we can be proud of which makes it easier for our residents and businesses to get the information and services they need. Our existing design is over seven years old, and we know it’s not great for people who use mobile phones, or as accessible at it could be for people with disabilities. It was also based on a software system which is being withdrawn – so we had to make a change. The measures we are taking to improve our website are no different from councils up and down the country.

“In line with the Haringey Deal, the new pages have been co-produced with residents who have been telling us what they would like to see. It introduces a simpler and cleaner look, based on the highest standards and best practice around usability and accessibility. The refresh has used a licence-free platform cutting costs both in the short and longer term. Our teams will work through the summer to improve the designs based on further resident feedback and continued testing, with the whole of the site set to be transformed later this year.”

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