In Bolton & Bolton Family Hubs
“A flexible, user-centred solution”
Overview
Bolton Council set out to transform how residents discover local services, replacing fragmented information with a comprehensive digital experience that makes it easier to find the right support, in the right place.
Bolton Council partnered with PPL Innovate to bring together information across Adults, Families & Children, SEND and Childcare within a single online hub. By bringing services, organisations and events together in one place, the platform makes it easier for residents to navigate local support and find information relevant to their needs.
The success of the project has also been underpinned by a collaborative approach and close working relationship between Bolton Council and PPL Innovate.
“One of the most valuable aspects of the solution is the way it brings together advice content and directory listings in a single place. This means users can access locality-based services alongside relevant information and guidance, creating a much more intuitive and useful experience for residents and practitioners alike.”
Chris Hart, Bolton Council
A tailored experience for families
Alongside the main In Bolton platform, Bolton Council wanted to provide families with a more focused route into local support. The result was the Family Hub, a dedicated microsite within the same content management system, designed specifically for parents, carers, children and young people.
While connected to the wider In Bolton platform, the Family Hub has its own identity and user experience, with bespoke colours and playful character illustrations creating a welcoming, family-friendly environment. It uses a filtered view of the central directory to highlight relevant areas such as Families & Children and Childcare, providing a tailored experience without the need to manage separate information.
This shared approach means Bolton Council can deliver different experiences for different audiences while maintaining information through a single source, reducing duplication and ensuring content remains consistent and up to date.
Delivering a scalable digital platform
Our work with Bolton Council began in September 2025 with the development of the new digital platform.
The directory was developed using PPL Innovate's parent-child functionality, giving each provider its own dedicated listing with links to the services and events they offer. This creates connected information across the directory, making it easier for residents to understand the support available from each organisation.
The project was delivered in phases, with the main In Bolton platform developed first to establish the central directory. While Bolton Council tested and refined the main site, our team developed the Family Hub alongside it, allowing both sites to launch back-to-back while remaining connected through the same underlying directory.
The shared platform provides a foundation that Bolton Council can continue to build on as its digital offering develops, supporting new audience-specific experiences while maintaining the central directory at the heart of the service.
Benefits
Together, these projects have:
-
Reduced administration
A single source of information reduces duplication and means content only needs to be managed once
-
Improved consistency
Changes made to the central directory are reflected across different audience experiences, helping keep information reliable and up to date
-
Enhanced accessibility
Personalised booklets can be saved, shared or printed, helping people access information in a format that works for them
-
Provided greater flexibility
The platform allows Bolton Council to tailor information for different audiences without the overhead of managing separate systems.
“Since launching the solution, we have received positive feedback from users. The modern, professional design has been very well received, and the platform provides a much-improved experience for people searching for services, support and information.”
Chris Hart, Bolton Council
Building for the future
The platform has been well received since launch, with Bolton Council particularly highlighting its modern design and the improved experience for people searching for local support.
The success of the initial implementation has already led to further investment in the platform. Bolton Council is now expanding its digital offering with the development of an Adults microsite, using the same shared directory model to provide another audience-specific experience without creating additional maintenance overhead.
Alongside this, a new Triage Tool is currently being developed to help residents identify the most appropriate services based on their individual circumstances, making it easier for people to access the support they need.
By investing in a scalable, future-ready platform, Bolton Council has created more than just a directory. They have built a flexible digital solution that can continue to evolve alongside the needs of their communities, while keeping information consistent, accessible and easy to manage.
“The experience of working with PPL has been excellent. The team are responsive, approachable and willing to engage in constructive challenge to ensure the best outcomes. They have shown great patience throughout the process and bring significant experience from working with other local authorities. Their expertise has undoubtedly enhanced our own implementation and helped us make better-informed decisions. We would be happy to recommend PPL to other local authorities looking for a flexible, user-centred solution for community information, advice and service directories.”
Chris Hart, Bolton Council
