Agenda item

To receive a report by the Head of Customer Services on the performance of Customer Services in the period 1^st January to 31^st March 2011.

(Councillor T V Rogers, Executive Councillor for Resources and Customer Services, was in attendance for this item).

The Panel gave consideration to the Customer Service Quarterly Performance Report for the period January to March 2011 (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book) which outlined the levels of performance and standards achieved by the Service. Attention was drawn to the significant issues, which had emerged since the last report and the issues that the service would face in the forthcoming quarter. Members were advised that changes to the opening hours at the Ramsey and Yaxley Customer Service Centres had not yet come into effect and, therefore, it would not be possible to review the impact of these changes until June 2012.

In considering the contents of the report, the Panel noted that satisfaction levels continued to be maintained despite a reduction in staffing levels. In response to a question about queue performance in 2010/11 and the measures which had been taken to reduce waiting times, Members were advised that it was difficult to predict average queue times and that it was necessary to be flexible to respond to demand as it arose. A Member suggested that it might be useful for future reports to be reorganised such that those services with the most enquiries were featured at the top of the charts.

Arising from the report, the Panel queried whether any consideration had been given to providing services for other authorities. In response, the Executive Councillor for Resources Customer Services explained that he would shortly be examining the options available for the Call Centre when the existing IT and premises contracts expired in December 2012. A report on progress would be submitted to a future meeting.

The Panel discussed the high number of benefit enquiries that were still being received as a result of the current state of the economy. Members were advised that the Council currently was receiving a subsidy from the Department for Work and Pensions to help deal with the increased workload; however, it was uncertain whether this funding would continue after April 2012.

In response to a query regarding the opening hours of the Yaxley Customer Services Centre and whether they could be linked to the weekly bus service from the surrounding villages, the Head of Customer Services reported that she had sought local views on the matter and that she would give it consideration.

Other matters which were discussed included the Call Centre’s business continuity arrangements and the flexibility of the staff arrangements within the service to respond to increased demand in a particular area. It was suggested that it might be useful to display information to customers about those times during which there was a high demand for the service. Having endorsed the format of the report and the proposal to report back in June 2012 on the effect of the changes at the Ramsey and Yaxley Centres, it was

RESOLVED

(a)  that the contents of the report be noted; and.

(b)  the Executive Councillor for Resources and Customer Services be requested to give further consideration to the actions which could be taken should additional funding from the Department for Work and Pensions to deal with benefits enquiries not continue after April 2012.