Community-as-a-Service Antenno with the Shire of Manjimup

Antenno is one of the apps that make up Datascape (a cloud-based solution with an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system at its core), enabling councils and ratepayers to engage more directly with each other.

Community members receive alerts and updates about what is going on in their area and can let their council know about issues that need immediate action, such as school closures, sports field cancellations, recycling, road closures, emergencies or water use.

The Shire of Manjimup was our first Australia-based Antenno client. Based in the south-west region of West Australia, the Shire is 320kms south of Perth, with the town Manjimup as the seat of government. With a population of almost 10,000, the local council staff of 124 service an area of roughly 7,000 sq km.

The Shire selected Antenno to better engage with their communities. Citizens are encouraged to share suggestions or problems with the council through the platform, giving them an instant voice and fostering closer relations in the region.

Feedback has been overwhelmingly positive with members saying they are more informed, feel more “joined up” and are better engaged. Importantly, they have a better understanding of what their council does, and what their rates go towards. The app means members don’t need to look up who to talk to and in what department, they can now easily contact council about a concern.

The reporting functionality has also been well received by the community, with 58 per cent of issues reported relating to roads and footpaths, and 11 per cent relating to rubbish and recycling.

Antenno is free to ratepayers on iOS and Android, and has shown the council how to be genuinely more engaged with its community across issues and activities. The council says it is a win-win as it is a low-cost platform to better connect with its 10,000 residents.