Finding your way around the site
On the left hand side of every page is a menu which lists the section you are in and the categories within that section. These categories can be clicked on to view information. To assist you with moving back and forth between the pages a 'bread crumb' menu is displayed at the top of the navigation so you can see the path you have followed to reach your destination and use it to revisit previous pages, (or you may prefer to use your web browser's back button).
The information in the site is divided up into 12 main sections. These are:
Business, Community and Living, Council and Democracy, Education and learning, Environment, Health and Social Care, Housing, Jobs and Careers, Leisure and Culture, News and Events, Policing and Public Safety and Transport and Streets.
There are four main ways that you can find information on this web site:
1. The home page
This is the starting point of any website and a good place to begin browsing the site for information. The web address (also called the URL) of Lewisham Council is www.lewisham.gov.uk and when you click on this web address, it is the homepage that will display on your screen.
Once you start to look at different parts of the site, if you want to return to the homepage, just click on the 'Home' link at the top of the navigation or click on the Lewisham Council logo in the top left hand corner.
2. Search
Use the search box to type in your own word(s) and carry out a search for the word(s) on the website. The search box can be found at the top of every page. It is best to use one or two key words rather than a long sentence.
There are also few ways to make your search more effective:
- you can narrow down your search by searching for more than one word at a time. To do this put "" quotes around your search words to search for this exact phrase only.
For example: allocations - will return a list of all pages with the word allocations in them; "council house allocations" will return only pages with this specific phrase in them.
- you can broaden your search by placing wildcards (*) in or around your search terms. This is especially useful if you don't know the exact spelling.
For example: You will get different results by searching on each of the following words: handyman - returns all pages with this word in them. this is not helpful if the term handyman isn't used by the organisation; handyperson - returns all pages with this word in them; handy* - returns all pages with handyman, handyperson, handy+anything.
3. Go Straight To …
e.g.. Council Tax. By clicking on the drop down menu box in the top right hand corner below the banner. Click on the section you want to go to and you will automatically be redirected there.
4. Council services A - Z
The A-Z of services is another method for finding information on the site. It lists all the information relating to services provided by Lewisham Council, or available within the borough, in alphabetical order. Simply click on the first initial letter of the service you require. For example, if you want to find information on planning applications, you may choose to click on the letter 'P' for planning.
Jargon
A useful glossary to public services (and voluntary sector) jargon can be found at: www.societyguardian.co.uk/glossary
Need more assistance?
Please click on the words 'Contact Us' which appear at the top of every page if you wish to find contact details for Lewisham Council or emergency telephone numbers.
If you have any queries or suggestions regarding the information on this website, or technical issues about using this website, please do get in touch with the web services team.