Your online identity

Most local councils want a domain name that is easily memorised and signifies their position as a part of local government. This normally means having a domain name that includes the council's name and ends .gov.uk - e.g. caldecote.gov.uk (see the link on the right for rules about .gov.uk names).

Registering a .gov.uk name is somewhat more difficult and expensive than, say, a .co.uk or .com name, partly because the registration process is handled manually in consultation with UKERNA (the .gov.uk and .ac.uk governing body). This means that it can be difficult to find an ISP (Internet Service Provider) who will handle .gov.uk names.

Objenix Limited (the operator of ActiveCouncil) has an Approved ISP Membership Account with UKERNA and can therefore register .gov.uk names on your behalf. We can take care of the whole process, handle the billing and make sure that renewals are paid when due.

If you want to use a different format, such as .org.uk or .co.uk, we can also register those on your behalf.

Moving an existing domain name

For councils who have registered a .gov.uk domain name with a provider that they no longer wish to use, the domain name can be "moved" so that it is managed by ActiveCouncil. We take care of the necessary technical configuration and ensure tidy billing arrangements as described above.

For councils with a web site already hosted by a provider they no longer wish to use, we can usually transfer the complete site content to a new hosting space on our servers and ensure a smooth transition from the old to the new setup.

How much does it cost?

A new .gov.uk domain name registration made as part of one of the ActiveCouncil solutions incurs a discounted one-off cost of £50+VAT towards the UKERNA initial registration fee. Subsequent annual renewal fees are included in the corresponding annual solution fee.

Purchase of a new .gov.uk domain name without subscribing to one of the listed solutions incurs a one-off cost of £100+VAT and then £50/year+VAT per year thereafter.