Agenda item

Report number:     CAB/WS/21/026

Portfolio holder: Councillor Robert Everitt

Lead officer: Davina Howes

Resolved:

That:

1.       It be noted, as set out in the Council’s Customer Access Strategy, the continued prioritisation of online and telephone customer support to improve customer service.

2.       It be noted, the type and level of contact managed by the Customer Service team and the impact of COVID-19 on customer access.

3.       If face to face customer contact is necessary, it be agreed that it is by appointment only.

4.       The following changes to the Council’s buildings and customer access be agreed, noting this formalises a number of arrangements that have been in place since March 2020 due to COVID restrictions: 

a.       Haverhill Office – Office to remain open for pre-booked appointments with no Council reception service. Public access to Council services provided by a phone and computers on site.

b.       Newmarket Guineas – Office to remain closed to the public and used only as an office base for car park staff. The future use of the office will be kept under review and subject to further consideration.

c.       Mildenhall Hub - Public access to Council services provided by a phone and computers on site or through a pre-booked appointment. A Hub Host service provided on site covering all co-located partner services.

d.       Mildenhall bus station – Building to remain open as a place of shelter and access to public toilets. No Council reception services provided.

e.       West Suffolk House – Building to reopen with reception staff to provide a visitor management service (for access to meetings for the Council and building tenants). Public access to Council services provided by a phone and computers on site or via pre-arranged appointment.

f.       West Suffolk Operational Hub, Council depot – Reception to remain open to support pre-booked workshop business and for appointment only visitor management.

g.       Car park office, Bury St Edmunds - No public access to be available from this site. All services to be provided online or via telephone.            

5.       The financial impacts as set out in paragraph 6.1 of Report number: CAB/WS/21/026 be noted, and funding for the one-off costs from the Council’s Invest to Save reserve be approved.

The Cabinet considered this report, which sought approval for several recommendations relating to ways in which public access would be provided to West Suffolk Council offices in the future.

For a number of years as part of its programme of transformation and customer service improvement, as set out in its Customer Access Strategy, the Council had expanded and invested in its online access to services, with the focus being to enable public access online 24/7. This had been supported by the Customer Contact Centre so that assistance could be provided over the telephone to those who were unable to access online services. As a result, over the past few years customer access had changed with a reduction in face-to-face and telephone contact, to online contact.

The report detailed the service provided to customers prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, including how it was already evolving with increasing numbers of customers moving online. As more customers were encouraged to use online services, this was seeing a reduction in the need for customers to visit the Council offices.

Councillor Robert Everitt, Portfolio Holder for Families and Communities, drew relevant issues to the attention of Cabinet, including providing detail of the proposed changes to its customer service provision at each of West Suffolk Council’s offices across the district.

Since the onset of the first COVID-19 lockdown in March 2020, the Council had provided all its customer services either online, over the telephone or through video conferencing. With the exception of a very small number, all Council services could be provided without the need for customers to visit Council offices. Given the experience of the past 15 months, the already significant shift in customer contact to online and telephone, and the need to continue to reduce unnecessary in person contact in light of COVID, the Council had reviewed its approach to public access. 

The Cabinet noted the rationale behind the proposals and supported the approach. It was however expressed, that whilst the past few years had seen a steady increase in the number of services provided online, it was recognised that some customers may not have online access or may prefer to speak to a member of staff.  Members noted that provision of increased online services, supplemented with telephone support if needed, remained the priority for the Council; however, this would not preclude the arrangement of face-to-face appointments in specific circumstances.

Detailed consultation and engagement had been carried out on the proposals, as set out in section 4 of Report number: CAB/WS/21/026, together with a detailed risk assessment and an Equality Impact Assessment, as set out in section 5 of the report. These, and the financial and other implications, as summarised in section 6, were all considered as part of the Cabinet’s decision making process.

Resolved:

That:

1.       It be noted, as set out in the Council’s Customer Access Strategy, the continued prioritisation of online and telephone customer support to improve customer service.

2.       The type and level of contact managed by the Customer Service team and the impact of COVID-19 on customer access, be noted.

3.       If face to face customer contact is necessary, it be agreed that it is by appointment only.

4.       The following changes to the Council’s buildings and customer access be agreed, noting this formalises a number of arrangements that have been in place since March 2020 due to COVID restrictions: 

a.       Haverhill Office – Office to remain open for pre-booked appointments with no Council reception service. Public access to Council services provided by a phone and computers on site.

b.       Newmarket Guineas – Office to remain closed to the public and used only as an office base for car park staff. The future use of the office will be kept under review and subject to further consideration.

c.       Mildenhall Hub - Public access to Council services provided by a phone and computers on site or through a pre-booked appointment. A Hub Host service provided on site covering all co-located partner services.

d.       Mildenhall bus station – Building to remain open as a place of shelter and access to public toilets. No Council reception services provided.

e.       West Suffolk House – Building to reopen with reception staff to provide a visitor management service (for access to meetings for the Council and building tenants). Public access to Council services provided by a phone and computers on site or via pre-arranged appointment.

f.       West Suffolk Operational Hub, Council depot – Reception to remain open to support pre-booked workshop business and for appointment only visitor management.

g.       Car park office, Bury St Edmunds - No public access to be available from this site. All services to be provided online or via telephone.            

5.       The financial impacts as set out in paragraph 6.1 of Report number: CAB/WS/21/026 be noted, and funding for the one-off costs from the Council’s Invest to Save reserve be approved.