WORCESTERSHIRE County Council cabinet members agreed on Monday to invest £60 million in improving public access to county services over the next ten years.

The authority wants to cut the time people waste trying to locate the appropriate person or department in public services with a new e-government strategy that will provide new technology and train a team of customer services staff to cope with queries at the first point of contact.

Malvern Hills District Council, health authorities and the police are being included in the strategy.

The first steps toward improving access will come next year with the creation of one-stop service centres, including one at Malvern library, and the launch of a Worcestershire Internet portal.

Coun Adrian Hardman, county council member for resources, said: "We must be able to use new technology to improve and grasp challenges that service delivery will pose in the new century and make the change in service delivery communities are asking for.

"Our e-government programme will allow us to deal with their problems more efficiently and speedily.''

Details of the changes will be drawn up in a business plan, which will be presented to cabinet for final approval later this year.