Harlow Council
As part of its digital transformation, Harlow Council aimed to modernise its outdated Drupal 7 site, which was unresponsive, inaccessible, and no longer met residents’ needs.
The ask
With tight budget constraints, the Council went to open tender via the GOV.UK Digital Marketplace, appointing Zoocha to deliver a re-platforming project that would improve accessibility, mobile usability, and overall user experience while also introducing new functionality including an intranet for staff.
The Council needed a partner to:
- Upgrade and rebuild their Drupal 7 website on Drupal 8
- Deliver a responsive, mobile-first design aligned with accessibility standards
- Migrate all website content and data to the new CMS
- Provide flexible page layouts to support varied content
- Introduce a new intranet platform for staff
- Deliver on a tight budget and timeline
The approach
Zoocha’s solution was designed from a user-first perspective, ensuring residents’ needs were prioritised over internal structures.
Key aspects included:
- Mobile-first redesign, improving accessibility and usability across devices
- Flexible page layouts using Drupal Paragraphs for easier content creation and management
- Acquia Cloud Professional hosting, providing scalability and security
- Single sign-on (SSO) integration with internal systems for staff
- Solr search integration to deliver fast, relevant search experiences
The results
The new Drupal 8 platform was launched successfully, on time and within budget. Since launch, Harlow Council has seen measurable improvements:
- 30% increase in visits (Feb 2020 vs Feb 2019)
- Clear channel shift from phone to digital, with online self-service increasing across key areas:
- Missed bin reports: +9%
- New bin requests: +6%
- Bulky waste bookings: +5%
- Reduction in phone calls, saving the Council money and improving efficiency
- A scalable platform providing flexibility for future growth and service improvements
This project marked a significant step forward in Harlow Council’s digital transformation journey, empowering more residents to self-serve online while easing pressure on council staff and resources.
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