Local government: A digital intermediary for the information age?

With the development of e-commerce, digital intermediaries have joined the value chain linking suppliers and consumers. These intermediaries add value by undertaking several roles: aggregation, facilitation, matching and providing an environment of trust for transacting parties. In the public sector, the UK Government is driving forward the introduction of electronic service delivery by local authorities. In some of its dealings, local government intermediates between consumers and other organsations. This paper examines how local authorities have undertaken the role of digital intermediary. The service delivery of two ‘life episode’ transactions are evaluated. It concludes that most local authorities are currently operating as emerging or partial intermediaries.