Free .gov.uk Domain

Active Council Website on PC with Practitioners GuideA .gov.uk domain for council business is a sign of professionalism, security, and trust. While not mandatory, it reflects best practices recommended in Section 5.213 of the 2024 Practitioners' Guide. Councils with .gov.uk domains benefit from:

  • Enhanced Cybersecurity: Regular monitoring by the Cabinet Office to detect vulnerabilities.
  • Trustworthy Communication: Emails from a .gov.uk domain are recognised as legitimate, reinforcing trust.
  • Separation of Communication: Personal and council business emails are kept distinct.
  • Administrative Control: Easily manage accounts during staff changes, absences, or legal enquiries (Freedom of Information Requests).
  • Domain Security: The .gov.uk domain is safeguarded against external claims if it lapses.

What's the Offer?

For councils with a precept of around £30k, Active Council offers a .gov.uk domain and email setup, in line with best practices outlined in the Practitioners' Guide. The Central Digital and Data Office (CDDO) provides £100 + VAT funding, covering the first year’s costs, making the offer free for the first year.

Cost Breakdown:

  • Year 1: £0 (thanks to CDDO funding)
  • Subsequent Years: Domain renewal at £30 + VAT per year, and email at £25 + VAT per address annually.

The domain will be submitted to the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) for ongoing monitoring against cyber threats.

Email Features

  • Hosted on Microsoft Office 365, the email includes:
    • Domain usage, have an email address clerk@yourvillage-pc.gov.uk
    • 2GB storage, accessible via web at outlook.com.
    • Daily backups using Acronis, ensuring email recovery.
    • Upgrade options for more extensive storage and additional features.

Who's the Offer for?

This offer is ideal for smaller parish councils, particularly those with a precept around £30k, looking to enhance their online presence and adopt best practices for council communications.

About Active Council

Active Council provides end-to-end digital solutions for councils, including .gov.uk domain management, user-friendly websites, Office 365 email solutions, and cloud storage via OneDrive. We're dedicated to ensuring councils meet compliance standards while maintaining simplicity and ease of use.

For more information or to apply, contact us .

Published: 27/09/2024 Published by: Admin

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