Headline sponsor

Capturing, contributing to and disseminating best practice advice on local e-democracy internationally, nationally and locally.

The International Centre of Excellence for Local eDemocracy (ICELE)

ICELE is a virtual Centre of Excellence, providing a focal point for advising and supporting local authorities and communities, to enhance participation in all parts of the democratic process. Within the UK, Local Authorities, community groups and citizens can use the Centre’s world leading online resources to help strengthen neighbourhoods and advance active citizenship.

Internationally, governments, academic institutions and not-for-profit organisations can use the Centre’s virtual facilities as a first port of call for information about pioneering e-democracy initiatives.

t. 01543 308101
f. 01543 308103
w. www.icele.org

Exhibitors

Delib is the UK's largest e-participation company, supplying products and services to over 150 local, regional, national and international governmental organisations, as well as to charities and the third sector.

Delib works primarily in the fields of e-consultation, e-engagement, e-learning and social software, bringing our expertise to issues such as policy setting, electoral participation, public finance, planning, healthcare provision and the environment.

Clients include ODPM, Home Office, DCA, Electoral Commission, DEFRA, DfES, the BBC and the European Commission, as well as over 100 UK Local Authorities.

As an organisation we believe in the value of getting individuals and organisations thinking, talking and acting together. We believe that small, intelligent actions can lead to an improved civic society and revitalised democracy.

For more information visit www.delib.co.uk or email info@delib.co.uk

Westminster Digital is the UK's leading supplier of rich media streaming products and services to central and local government.

Parliament’s own dedicated webcasting service, www.parliamentlive.tv was designed, built and is managed by Westminster Digital. The automated service that broadcasts up to 18 channels daily includes live captions, key word search, a sophisticated content managements, hosting, and security. It is by far the most comprehensive webcasting initiative in existence within Europe today.

Streampac, Westminster Digital's local government product is an all-in-one portable web-broadcasting system that can be operated by a single user. The result is a professional, interactive broadcast, delivered at anytime, from any place with minimal cost.

'Election Alarm Clock' was a pilot website to reach young (17-34) transient communities, as well as encouraging them to register to vote and to vote. The London Borough of Lambeth led the pilot and the Electoral Commission funded this.

As a large inner London borough, Lambeth has a high turnover of population, and many young people commute out of the borough to work. Users sign up for an email or SMS reminder about how to register to vote, and reminders of when to apply for a postal vote, and when to cast their vote.

The website was used in the run up to the May 2006 local elections. Offline publicity included posters, postcards in local cafes and shops and an online viral game 'Elejumper'. 12,000 page hits were received to the website, with 208 people signing up for email and SMS reminders.

The number of people voting in elections in Swindon fell by 20% in eight years during the 1990's. Research indicated that electors had become disengaged from the political process and wanted to choose when, where and how they cast their vote rather than being told that they must cast their vote in one particular place on one day.

In order to address these problems, the Council has been involved in the e-voting pilots programme in every year that it has been made available by central government. The Council has also become actively involved in seeking to re-engage with its citizens by other means. It has participated not only in the electoral modernisation programme but also in the wider e-democracy programme as a means to improve communication and engagement.

ReadSpeaker

ReadSpeaker is the leading European, voice-on-the-web solution. The service does not require a plugin and with its unique quality of voice, it is the first real solution for making a websites and blogs talk. The aim is to increase web-accessibility for people with learning disabilities, dyslexia, low vision and people who have English as their second language.

The company has recently launched ReadSpeaker Podcaster, which provides an automatic conversion of an RSS feed to a pod-casting feed with the help of advanced text-to-speech (TTS) technology.

Public Sector clients using the award-winning podcasting facility include Lincolnshire, Nottingham City, Derbyshire and Stockport councils

Sponsor

Votivation is the unique democratic social network, online and via mobile where you, politicians, celebrities, businesses, charities, pressure groups, schools, clubs... in fact, all sorts of organisations and people can:

          o interact with & vote on each other
         o exchange & test views & opinions
          o share thoughts & ideas
          o win & earn cash & other prizes
          o blog for free, meet & make friends, create and subscribe to cool content by email or mobile, the list goes on.

and in doing so:

          o help make the world a better place by:
             - supporting charities and other non-profit organisations
             - influencing businesses, politicians, celebrities & your peers.

For more information please visit www.votivation.com or email enquiries@votivation.com

If you are interested in sponsoring one of our events please contact Claire Clinton on 01273 231291 or email Claire@headstar.com.