A NEW communication channel between government and public looks set to unfold in West Devon over the next year.
The borough council has won a £50,000 match-funding share in the £6.2-million e-innovations fund.
The money will fund a project setting up an SMS (text messaging) access channel in West Devon.
The project will focus primarily on sparsely populated rural areas where there is no fast or easy connection to the internet.
Instead of relying on the local government website for information, people will be able to receive parliamentary news via their mobile phone.
Local e-Government minister Phil Hope said: ?e-Government is not just about computers and websites.
?It is about improving the way people use their local services and improving their experience of dealing with the government.
?The innovation, creativity and cutting-edge nature of these winning projects is encouraging and demonstrates how e-Government can be a driving force for real change in people?s lives.?
The text messaging service is due to be delivered by March 2005 and hopes to counteract rural isolation from Government support and services.