Congratulations to this year’s winners from the Isle of Wight in the Hantsweb Awards 2007.  The results were announced yesterday and teams from the Isle of Wight Council and Naturnet websites celebrated at a prestigious ceremony at the Ark Conference Centre in Basingstoke hosted by Steve Power, of Wave105.

The Hantsweb Awards run by Hampshire County Council recognise the best websites from organisations based in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.  This year, over 600 nominations were received in 11 categories from business organisations in the community to voluntary groups.

This year Naturenet was awarded runner up in the Best Rural Enterprise Website Category and congratulated the Isle of Wight Council for winning the Best Public Services Website category, click HERE: to see Hantsweb Awards Photojournal from Matt of Rangers Blog Fame.

Out of 12 nominations whittled down to 10 in the shortlist the Naturenet Website was runner up in the Best Rural Enterprise Website Category.  Although the Naturenet Team of Matt who works for the Isle of Wight Council and Cat a Website Designer did not win they were worthy runners up.

The Isle of Wight Council Team  were awarded first place in the Best Public Services Website category.  This category sponsored by EPI-USE received 32 nominations which were again whittled down to 10 in the shortlist then 3 in the final.

The Judge Stephen Lawrence, stated the Isle of Wight Council Website  was

“A very good, crisp site.  The top navigation was well thought through, e.g. someone’s role (visiting, living, working or learning). Just the right amount of graphics.  Good use of forums, just need to take care that they are well supervised and nice to see the CE with a Blog.

The My Profile section will encourage users back once fully developed. The online services section is comprehensive (although do you need to open up additional windows when they are not external links/secure sections?).

Good to have links to Central Gov/ National services online - makes it more likely for return vists.  Would benefit from an Authenication solution like the Gov Gateway too.  Would also consider raising profile of privacy statement and policy throughout.”

Matt gives an overview of the Hantsweb Awards 2007 with a very good photojournal of Naturenet (Matt and Cat) and Isle of Wight Council Website Team (Sarah Moss and Chairman Roger Mazillius) at the Hantsweb Awards ceremony.  Click HERE:  to view the soiree via Naturenet on The Rangers Blog.

Whilst there were many websites in various categories nominated for a Hantsweb Award 2007 only eleven websites from the Isle of Wight made it through to the prestigious shortlists.

Island Pulse have happily promoted the websites from the Isle of Wight who were up for an award, and happy to note that our website was one of 76 nominated in the Best Local Area Website and in the final 10 of the shortlist.

Update and response from Isle of Wight Council: Cabinet Member for the Customer Jilly Wood said:

“I am delighted with the outcome of the Hantsweb awards, this is a great achievement for us and congratulations to a highly motivated and successful ICT team.

My thanks to all departments across the council whose contributions in maintaining iwight.com contributed to the success in winning this award. The council is dedicated to enhancing services and this award supports our drive to improve access to information and services for residents and customers.”