Freedom251 › Government Website Builders
Council Platform
What Council Platform is
Council Platform is a web service for running local government CMS websites. Its drag-and-drop editor lets teams build complex pages without developer time, and the customisable front end is based on the GOV.UK Design System. Features include service directories, news, event calendars, global search, CRM functionality, forms, and editorial workflows. It supports manual and machine translation for bilingual sites, as well as document management and multiple sites. The maker says websites are accessible from the outset and subscribers receive accessibility audit scans. Security features include two-factor authentication, password complexity requirements, and automatic logout. Subscriptions include production and test hosting, support, documentation, uptime monitoring, security updates, and a 99.9% uptime SLA. The maker says websites are ready for content population within 24 hours. Plans are priced by monthly page views, starting at £200 a month for up to 5000 views; this is a £200 monthly licence fee (ex VAT). Plans above 100,000 monthly views include microsites, cookie-less analytics, accessibility auditing, and Doc2Page PDF conversion.
Who it suits
Council Platform suits councils and other public-sector teams running websites that need local-government content features, bilingual publishing, or multiple sites. It is a paid web service, with plans based on monthly page views.
What it does well
- Drag-and-drop editing requires no developer time.
- Includes service directories, forms, and editorial workflows.
- Supports manual and machine translation.
- Subscriptions include production and test hosting.
- Lists a 99.9% uptime SLA.
What to know first
- No free plan is listed.
- The lowest listed plan costs £200 a month.
- Plan pricing is tied to monthly page views.
Limits
The lowest plan costs £200 per month excluding VAT and supports up to 5,000 monthly page views. Features such as microsites, cookie-less analytics, accessibility auditing, and Doc2Page conversion are included only with subscriptions above 100,000 monthly page views.
Plans
| Plan | Billed and limits | Price |
|---|---|---|
| 50001 to 100000 monthly page views | monthly licence fee (ex VAT) · 50001 to 100000 monthly page views | £1,200 a month |
| 100001 to 150000 monthly page views | monthly licence fee (ex VAT) · 100001 to 150000 monthly page views · microsites · cookie-less analytics · accessibility auditing · Doc2Page PDF conversion | £1,650 a month |
| 150001 to 300000 monthly page views | monthly licence fee (ex VAT) · 150001 to 300000 monthly page views · microsites · cookie-less analytics · accessibility auditing · Doc2Page PDF conversion | £1,950 a month |
| Up to 5000 monthly page views | monthly licence fee (ex VAT) · up to 5000 monthly page views | £200 a month |
| 300001 to 500000 monthly page views | monthly licence fee (ex VAT) · 300001 to 500000 monthly page views · microsites · cookie-less analytics · accessibility auditing · Doc2Page PDF conversion | £2,250 a month |
| 500001 to 800000 monthly page views | monthly licence fee (ex VAT) · 500001 to 800000 monthly page views · microsites · cookie-less analytics · accessibility auditing · Doc2Page PDF conversion | £2,700 a month |
| 800001 and over monthly page views | monthly licence fee (ex VAT) · 800001 and over monthly page views · microsites · cookie-less analytics · accessibility auditing · Doc2Page PDF conversion | £3,600 a month |
| 5001 to 15000 monthly page views | monthly licence fee (ex VAT) · 5001 to 15000 monthly page views | £400 a month |
The first 8 of 9 plans, as councilplatform.com lists them, read 21 Oct 2026. The maker's own page has the final word. Every plan
Getting started
- Open the Council Platform website
- Choose a monthly page-view plan starting at £200 excluding VAT
- Have the website prepared for content population within 24 hours
- Use the web drag-and-drop editor to build pages
- Connect listed integrations as needed
- Publish bilingual, multi-site, or document content
Verdict
Council Platform brings local-government publishing features, hosting, and support into a page-view-based subscription. Its lowest listed tier is £200 a month for up to 5000 page views.
Questions
How much does Council Platform cost?
Plans start at £200 per month excluding VAT for up to 5,000 monthly page views. Higher bands range from £400 to £3,600 per month excluding VAT according to page views.
Is there a free plan?
No. Council Platform is a paid service.
Which platform does it support?
Council Platform is provided as a web service.
Does it support bilingual websites?
Yes. The feature list includes manual and machine translation for bilingual sites.
What accessibility support is included?
The maker says sites are accessible from the outset, and subscribers receive free accessibility audit scans.
What comes with a subscription?
Subscriptions include production and test hosting, platform support, documentation access, uptime monitoring, security updates, and a 99.9% uptime SLA.
Facts from Council Platform's own pages
- Accessibility
- The maker describes sites as accessible from the outset and provides free accessibility scans to subscribers. · councilplatform.com, 21 Oct 2026
- AI assistant
- The proposed chat-to-website assistant restricts answers to published site pages and documents, can cite source pages, and supports PDF references. · councilplatform.com, 21 Oct 2026
- AI data handling
- The AI feature defaults to an EU-resident ChatGPT service, keeps site data in the UK, and says chat queries are not stored after an answer is returned. · councilplatform.com, 21 Oct 2026
- API extensibility
- The AI assistant requires customers to provide their own LLM account API credentials. · councilplatform.com, 21 Oct 2026
- Bilingual content
- The feature list says the platform supports manual and machine translation for bilingual sites. · councilplatform.com, 3 Oct 2026
- Bilingual publishing
- The platform supports manual and machine translation for bilingual websites. · councilplatform.com, 21 Oct 2026
- Browser support
- The service is tested with current Apple Safari, Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Internet Explorer 11 and Mozilla Firefox, and layouts adapt to mobile screens. · councilplatform.com, 21 Oct 2026
- Council lookup availability
- The councillor-finder functionality is part of the core platform and is available to subscribers without an additional charge. · councilplatform.com, 21 Oct 2026
- Council lookup integration
- A councillor finder uses uploaded CSV data and Ordnance Survey APIs to map postcodes and properties to wards and councillors. · councilplatform.com, 21 Oct 2026
- CRM
- CRM functionality is built into the platform. · councilplatform.com, 21 Oct 2026
- Deployment
- The service is available immediately and is fully functional from the first day of access. · councilplatform.com, 21 Oct 2026
- Design
- The platform uses a customisable front end based on the GOV.UK Design System. · councilplatform.com, 3 Oct 2026
- Design system
- The front end is based on the GOV.UK Design System and can be customised. · councilplatform.com, 21 Oct 2026
- Directories
- Users can create searchable and filterable find-your-nearest directories. · councilplatform.com, 21 Oct 2026
- Documentation
- Documentation is described as searchable online material updated as features are created or expanded and as users provide feedback. · assets.applytosupply.digitalmarketplace.service.gov.uk, 21 Oct 2026
- Editing
- A drag-and-drop editor is intended to let users build complex pages without developer time. · councilplatform.com, 21 Oct 2026
- Events
- Event listings include a monthly calendar view. · councilplatform.com, 21 Oct 2026
- Features
- Features include service directories, news, event calendars, global search, CRM functionality, forms, and editorial workflows. · councilplatform.com, 3 Oct 2026
- Forms
- Editors can create custom multi-step WYSIWYG forms and surveys using the GDS visual style. · councilplatform.com, 21 Oct 2026
- Higher-tier extras
- Subscriptions above 100,000 monthly page views include microsites, cookie-less analytics, accessibility auditing, and Doc2Page PDF conversion. · councilplatform.com, 3 Oct 2026
- Integrations
- The procurement document lists Bartec, ModernGov, Elgin Roadworks, Council Advertising Network, Microsoft Azure Chatbots, Google Analytics, SiteImprove and ReciteMe integrations. · assets.applytosupply.digitalmarketplace.service.gov.uk, 21 Oct 2026
- Intended users
- The maker presents the platform as providing tools to run public sector websites and lists councils among its customers. · councilplatform.com, 3 Oct 2026
- Limit: bespoke work
- The 2022 procurement pricing document says bespoke customisation is resource-priced at £700 per development day per person ex VAT. · assets.applytosupply.digitalmarketplace.service.gov.uk, 21 Oct 2026
- Limit: traffic-based pricing
- The monthly licence fee rises across nine page-view bands, reaching £3,600 ex VAT for 800,001 or more monthly views. · councilplatform.com, 21 Oct 2026
Where Council Platform stands on Freedom251
- Government Website Builders#15 of 33