THE council has launched its new digital friendly website which cost £260,000.

A Freedom of Information request by the Hereford Times revealed that the website took 2,915 hours of staff time to implement.

Herefordshire Council state that the new website was commissioned to improved online customer experience and to help people find information about council services more easily.

The new website is aimed at providing a better experience for people using a mobile device and will also help the council be more cost-effective and time-efficient.

David Harlow, Cabinet member for Economy, Communities and Corporate Services, said: “The way people access information is changing and about half of all visitors to the council website use a mobile device like a smartphone or tablet.

"The new website makes it easier for residents to find the information they need and allows them to do it at a time that suits them.

"We’ll be adding more online access to our services and welcome feedback from residents on what they would like to be able to do on our website in future.”