The day when West Sussex residents can access all their dealings with County Hall on the internet will move a step closer tomorrow.

County councillors are meeting to approve a strategy designed to lead to the introduction of "electronic government".

One of the main features of the system will be Citizens' Accounts, which will allow people access to their dealings with the council online.

That could include receiving school reports, making grant applications or monitoring library borrowings.

The county council has promised people who sign up for an account it will operate in much the same way as online banking, with secure access and measures to prevent privacy.

Much of the cost of launching E-Government by 2005 is being put up by the Government, which has made £350 million available during the next three years under a scheme known as Local Government Online.

A bid from West Sussex has already been accepted for 2002 but the precise amount is not yet known.

A council secretary is starting a new life in Australia after being interviewed face-to-face for a new job without having to travel 12,000 miles.

Melanie Boyle thought it would be too difficult to apply for a post as personal assistant to the director of Western Australia's Medical Research Institute.

But senior staff at County Hall, Chichester, offered to help her by using a video-link system with the bill paid for by the institute.

Melanie sat in a committee room at 8.30am (4.30pm in Australia) and was offered the job in Perth.

Melanie said: "It was the first time I had used the video-link system and it was an excellent experience."