24 July 2010
Waipa’s 25,000-plus paper-based property files are being scanned in a two-year project that will see council’s property file management system completely digitised.
When complete, people requesting property files will receive them faster because council staff will be able to retrieve them electronically, instead of manually.
Information services manager Mark Hogan said digitising the files would make them easier for customers to access and also protect them from damage. It would also improve council’s compliance with public records management standards, he said.
“We live in an electronic world and we’re using commonly-used technology like scanning and email to improve record management and customer service.”
All property files will be moved off council’s premises to be gradually scanned over a two-year period. The aim is to have half scanned and available electronically by the middle of 2011. Wellington-based company Desktop Imaging is working with Council to complete the project.
Property files remain available while they are being scanned but because they are offsite, will take three days to turn-around, instead of the current 24 hour timeframe, Mr Hogan said. Lawyers, real estate agents and others with a particular interest in property files had already been advised of the extended timeframe. The Land Information Memorandum (LIM) process is not affected by the project, he said.
The digitisation project is phase one of a larger project to develop an online portal to provide access to property information through the council’s website. The entire project, including online accessibility, is expected to take up to five years to complete.
For more information, please contact:
Jeanette Tyrrell
Ph: 07 872 0097 or 027 293 8679
Email: jeanette.tyrrell@waipadc.govt.nz