Contacting City of York Council will become a whole lot easier next summer, thanks to an ambitious project that will change the way customers access the council.

Senior councillors will be asked to agree key milestones for the £3.1m capital investment in the easy@york programme at a meeting of the Executive on Tuesday, 6 December.

The project, which is partially government funded, will make it easier for people to access council services using modern technology, such as the internet and email. It will also make the council more efficient by improving the way it does business.

By the summer of 2006, customers will be able access a wide range of council services via a new 'York Customer Centre' telephone service. The centre will deal with general enquiries, such as providing information or enabling customers to pay for services. It will also deliver more in-depth planning and York Pride Action Line services. Housing benefits and council tax services will be provided through the centre from the autumn of 2006, and further additions to the range of services on offer will be made in the future.

Councillors will consider proposals to extend telephone contact hours, making it easier for residents to contact the council outside standard office hours. A cross-section of local residents are being consulted to find out what opening hours they would prefer.

In addition to this, changes to the council's website will mean that customers are able to make payments via the web for the first time by January 2006, making it easier and more convenient to deal with the council.

James Drury, head of Public Services at City of York City Council, said: "The aim of the project is to make it easier for people to contact the council. We recognise that, at present, dealing with different parts of the authority usually requires a number of phone calls or visits to a range of different buildings, all of which must be done during office hours.

"Our vision is that the council will deliver joined-up, high quality services that our customers can access quickly, easily and conveniently.

"We appreciate that not everyone will choose to use this new technology and would like to reassure residents that they will always be able to speak to officers face-to-face, if that's what they prefer. easy@York is about increasing the number of ways that customers can contact the council, and we hope that residents will start to see the benefits of the project within the next few months."

The Executive will also be asked to agree to appoint Logica CMG to supply the technical equipment needed to make the project happen.

Tracey Carter, the council's easy@york programme director, explained: "Logica has a strong track record in this field. The solutions they are proposing are cost-effective, and proven. They will help the council to deliver benefits to customers."