WEST Somerset Council has upgraded its computer software in a bid to improve public consultation and meet statutory government standards.

The authority said this week that the cost of the one-year deal with Berkshire-based INOVEM could not be revealed as it was commercially sensitive.

But spokesman Stacey Beaumont said it was no more than the system used previously by the council.

She said the new software provided added functionality.

A spokesman for INOVEM said the council was using its product to manage online and offline responses from public consultations and to host them in one place.

The upgrade would ensure the authority complied with the statutory requirement to deliver 'best value' and 'duty to involve', which means local authorities must inform, consult and involve people.

INOVEM sales and marketing director John Glover said the council would be able to build a community portal for discussions about local initiatives, create surveys to gauge public opinion and maintain databases that securely store data gathered from consultation processes.

The council's corporate information officer Tom Bown said the frustrations of administering the old system were now a thing of the past.

He said the new software would allow the council to manage and deploy consultation across a wealth of media.