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The following is issued on behalf of the Legislative Council Secretariat:
The Legislative Council (LegCo) Secretariat announced today (November 24) that a trial run of the revamped LegCo Website will be launched next Monday (November 28) to enhance the dissemination of information about the Council to better serve the public through the provision of a new design layout of the Website and the addition of new features and capabilities to the Website to facilitate easy access.
As compared with the existing Website, the revamped LegCo Website (www.legco.gov.hk) has the following major enhancements:
(1) providing a new look and feel of the LegCo Website;
(2) providing a new Website search engine;
(3) implementing accessibility standards and guidelines as recommended by the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer;
(4) improving the information presentation and navigation menu of the LegCo Website;
(5) adding new features such as a mobile version of the LegCo Website, webcasting all open meetings of the Council and its committees, providing an online souvenirs catalogue and a new photos and video gallery; and
(6) upgrading the back-end technical infrastructure.
The revamp of the LegCo Website project was endorsed by The Legislative Council Commission (the Commission) on July 16, 2009, with a view to improving the dissemination of LegCo information to the public through the LegCo Website. The revamp of the LegCo Website has been undertaken by a Website Editorial Board comprising representatives from all Divisions of the LegCo Secretariat.
To facilitate understanding of the improvements and new features and to collect user feedback and comments on the revamped LegCo Website, the Commission agreed at its meeting on November 22 that a trial run of the revamped Website be launched next Monday and a series of briefings on the revamped Website be conducted for LegCo Members, Members' staff, Secretariat staff and LegCo beat reporters between late November and early December 2011. A user survey will then be carried out between early and mid-December 2011 to solicit user feedback and comments on the revamped LegCo Website. Questionnaires will be sent to frequent users, including all LegCo Members and their staff, Secretariat staff and LegCo beat reporters.
The Secretariat will also invite some organisations and members of the public who have all along been submitting views to LegCo committees and maintained frequent communication with Panel clerks to solicit their views and comments on the revamped LegCo Website. In addition, a questionnaire will be posted to the LegCo Website to solicit the views and comments of members of the public who visit the revamped Website during the trial run period through a dedicated Website email account (webmaster@legco.gov.hk).
It is planned that the new LegCo Website will be officially launched in January 2012.
Ends/Thursday, November 24, 2011
Issued at HKT 19:42
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