Understanding e-Government in Europe by Nixon Paul G.;Koutrakou Vassiliki N.;Rawal Rajash;

Author:Nixon, Paul G.;Koutrakou, Vassiliki N.;Rawal, Rajash;
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Interdisciplinary Studies
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Group
Published: 2010-01-04T00:00:00+00:00

Case study 3: smart card application in UK local government service provision

In 2001 a UK local authority introduced a multi-functional smart card. It is available free of charge to those who live in, work in or visit the borough. The smart card can be used, for instance, to borrow library books, access leisure facilities, pay for goods and services, provide proof of age and prove entitlement to concessionary bus travel.

One of the public service uses of the smart card is a cashless catering system in four secondary schools across the borough. Here, pupils periodically load money onto an E-Purse section of the card, either using wall-mounted coin machines or having their parents submit a cheque to the school’s administration office for staff to update accounts. Pupils present their cards at the check-out in the canteen, where catering staff physically assess and match the photograph on the front of the smart card with the pupil and insert the card into a reader device that automatically debits the correct amount from the E-Purse. Pupils entitled to free school meals do not need to load money onto the E-Purse, but they present their card at the checkout in the same way.

Moreover, under a separate pilot project for extended smart card use, pupils swipe smart cards through a smart card reader at the beginning of each class. ‘Loyalty’ points are automatically accrued for every class attended. These points can then be supplemented with extra points, which are assigned at the discretion of teachers, for good or positive behaviour. The points are stored in a central database and pupils are able to exchange them for goods and services with local retailers and organisations participating in this loyalty scheme. Options for pupils include a free swim, cinema ticket or fast food meal. More recently, the authority has been investigating the possibility of using the smart card to reward healthy eating by awarding points to pupils who buy approved food items for lunch. Healthy eating points could be automatically accrued via the smart card and smart card readers at the till and stored in a central database. This may fit into an authority-wide motivational scheme whereby positive behaviour, such as recycling, voluntary work and healthy lifestyles, is rewarded via smart card point accumulation.

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