Permits issued in days not weeks
Tens of thousands of dollars saved
Hundreds of hours saved through automation
24/7/365 service availability across all devices
Background
Banyule City Council is situated in the north-eastern suburbs of Melbourne, Victoria, covering 63 square kilometres and serving a community of over 130,000 residents. The area is renowned for its open spaces and parklands along the Yarra River, it has a rich cultural heritage including the host of the 1956 Olympic Village.
Banyule partnered with Symphony3 to automate its planning and permit application processes, enhance the resident experience and drive genuine digital transformation. What began as a single permit has since expanded across multiple council permits and forms.
The Digital Challenge
Banyule City Council's permit application process relied on manual work. Information from online forms had to be re-entered into core council systems, while requests and updates were passed between departments by email. The process was slow, repetitive and prone to error. Without visibility of address-specific land restrictions, residents completed full applications unaware their permit could not proceed. The result was wasted effort and more work for council staff, and long waiting times for permits.
The Vision
A resident applying for a permit to be better informed before submitting, kept up to date throughout and to receive a faster outcome. The process creates less friction for the resident throughout, and less manual work for council staff.
The Solution
SmartGlue-powered integration connecting Banyule's existing online forms with core business systems:
Real-Time Resident Experience
- Residents receive real-time, address-specific land restriction information while completing forms.
- Automated status update emails keep residents informed at every stage of their application.
System Integration
- Integration across multiple core business systems to reduce manual handling and streamline permit processing.
- Common integration patterns enabled rapid deployment.
- The solution allows new systems and permit types to be added over time.
Workflow Automation
- Automation of several previously manual processes across the permit lifecycle.
- Errors significantly reduced by replacing manual involvement with automated workflows.
Security & Platform
- Government-level security providing confidence for Banyule's IT team.
- Built on open-source software, licence free and cost effective.
Transformative Results
- Better informed residents with permits being issued in days not weeks.
- Tens of thousands of dollars saved through automation.
- Hundreds of hours of staff time saved. with teams spending less time on admin tasks which were previously manual.
- Residents access council services 24/7/365, ensuring a more convenient and reliable digital experience.
The Symphony3 Difference
Symphony3 delivers a cloud-based service combined with a human touch - we call it SWAS (Software with a Service). We work closely with our clients on every engagement and ensure you are supported once the solution goes live. It is an approach that is collaborative, flexible, and ensures you get technical advice tailored to your organisation.