Issue - meetings

AGREED that Cabinet:

a)       approve the recommendation to resume the Council’s opening hours of 9:00am - 5:00pm within the Customer Contact Centre and Housing Repairs; and

b)       note the results of customer feedback about the Customer Promise, formally adopt the Promise and embed it in the Council.

The Business Manager – Customer Services presented a report which informed the Cabinet of the results of the pilot for potential changes to the opening hours of the customer contact centre and housing repairs and advised of the feedback received on the Council’s Customer Promise.

The pilot trialled opening hours of 8am to 9am on a Monday for a 12 week period. Based on the findings of the pilot, the Policy & Performance Improvement Committee recommended the resumption of the opening hours of 9am to 5pm given the relatively low demands experienced in the earlier hour for the duration of the pilot. The report also updated on the positive feedback in relation to the proposed Customer Promise which set out the behaviour the Council will follow when interacting with customers.

AGREED (unanimously) that Cabinet:

a)        approve the recommendation to resume the Council’s opening hours of 9:00am - 5:00pm within the Customer Contact Centre and Housing Repairs; and

b)       note the results of customer feedback about the Customer Promise, formally adopt the Promise and embed it in the Council.

Reasons for Decision:

This aim of this pilot was to understand whether the extra opening hour supported customers who may have work or personal commitments during the opening hours of the Council, to get in touch with an advisor when they would have otherwise not have been able to. 

Options Considered:

The alternative option considered based on the results of the opening hours pilot was to adopt the extended opening hours permanently.