Moorabool Shire Council has launched video calling pilot programs in two of its departments.
Residents wanting to speak to council staff about planning or maternal and child health matters can now do so by making a video call to council offices.
Moorabool Mayor Cr Paul Tatchell said this new way of communicating would benefit the community, as they could speak face-to-face with officers without the need to travel to a council office in Bacchus Marsh or Ballan.
“There are a lot of people who would find this very convenient and it is exciting that Moorabool is the only council in Victoria to have the special SMART systems we have set up so we can use this method of communication.
“I would encourage anyone who thinks they would benefit from video calling a council officer involved in this pilot to give it a go.
“If the pilot is successful, council will expand video calling to include other departments.”
There are state-of-the-art video conferencing units installed at Darley, Ballan and Lerderderg Library, plus the Bacchus Marsh council offices.
Calls can also be made from a suitable laptop or mobile phone.
Anyone who wishes to communicate with Planning or Maternal and Child Health staff during this pilot phase can phone council’s customer service to set up an appointment time.
The pilot program has been made possible by funding from the Federal Government’s Digital Local Government Program, to implement new online services for the community.
