Digital Services

Our Alexa skill - Pembrokeshire Council

So, what is an Alexa skill?

Alexa is Amazon’s voice service, accessed through your amazon device or the Alexa app. You simply say the word ‘Alexa’ and Alexa will respond. You can already use this service for music playback, making to do lists, setting alarms as well as proving weather, traffic and real-time information.

Alexa skill is like an app. You can enable and disable skills in the same way that you install and uninstall apps on your smart phone or tablet, bringing our products and services to life.

We have launched an Alexa skill for:

• Cleddau bridge closures
• Waste collections
• School closures
• Primary school lunch menus

To start using this skill, all you need to do is:

Step one: Open up the Alexa app on your smart device

Step two: Navigate to the 'More' option in the bottom toolbar

Step three: Select the 'Skills & Games' option in the list. This is where you can manage the skills installed on your Alexa device, and install new skills

Step four: Select the 'Search' icon in the top-right corner of your screen. This may appear differently depending on your device.

Step five: Search for Pembrokeshire Council in this menu, the skill should appear following a short search

 

Step six: The Skill should appear, and be the first option in the list, as seen in the image. Please press the skill name 'Pembrokeshire County Council'

 

Step seven: Select the Launch option on this screen. This should tie the skill to your amazon account, and allow it to be accessible from Alexa devices linked to your account

Step eight: The Skill should ask for permissions. This is necessary for full functionality of the skill, and is used to determine address information for the waste and location information provided by the skill

Step nine: If you’d like to launch the skill now, you can select the device you’d like to try and press the launch button

 

Step ten: Sign in to the Alexa app, and try:

“Alexa, ask Pembrokeshire council, when is my next waste and recycling collection?”

“Alexa, ask Pembrokeshire council, what items are due for my next collection?”

“Alexa, ask Pembrokeshire council, which waste containers can I leave out for collection this week?”

“Alexa, ask Pembrokeshire council, is the Cleddau Bridge open?”

“Alexa, ask Pembrokeshire council, which schools are closed today?”

“Alexa, ask Pembrokeshire council, what’s on the primary school lunch menu today?”

“Alexa, ask Pembrokeshire council, what’s for school dinners tomorrow?”

"What is the festive lunch menu in schools?"

"When are schools having Christmas lunch/dinner?"

"Can I put more rubbish out at Christmas?"

"Will my bin day change at Christmas?"

"What date will my waste and recycling collection take place this Christmas?"

If you have any issues with the initial set up don’t hesitate to contact the team for on: iot@pembrokeshire.gov.uk

 

Have you moved house or changed the address that your Alexa device is located? 

If so, you should check that the location of each of your devices is correct. If it is incorrect, it will give you incorrect information e.g. the wrong kerbside collection dates.

How to change location settings on Alexa:

Step 1: open the Alexa app on your smartphone or tablet, and go to ‘More’

Step 2: go to ‘Settings’ then ‘Device Settings’

Step 3: you will see a list of all of your devices, click on the device you want to check the location on

Step 4: You will either see an address under ‘Device location’ or if it says nothing under ‘Device location’ then it is not linked to an address

Step 5: If you need to add or change an address, you should click on ‘Device location’ then the ‘Change’ button. Go through the process of inputting the correct address and save.

Step 6: Repeat this process for all devices