Agenda item

The Executive Councillor for Transformation and Customers will be in attendance to discuss the closure of the customer service centres in Ramsey, Yaxley and St Neots.

With the aid of a report by the Head of Customer Service (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book) the Closure of the Customer Service Centres in Ramsey, Yaxley and St Neots was presented to the Panel. The Executive Councillor for Transformation and Customers was in attendance to present the report to Members.

Members were informed that the report lays out the background and analysis of why the Council has taken the decision to close the Customer Service Centres. The decision was made at the Zero Based Budgeting process and then ratified by the budget which was passed at Council.

In response to the question is there any way that a resident can access Council services locally if they cannot reach Pathfinder House, Members were informed that a high percentage of customers engage with the Council online. Some do not and the Head of Customer Services is working with his staff to reach those people who don’t have access to the internet. The Council are working towards a home delivery service to reach those who can’t reach Pathfinder House.

A Member stated that Members and residents keep getting told that the Council are looking after customers however the Council are now not providing a service for its customers. The Executive Councillor stated that the decision to close the customer service centres was made in 2015 and ratified by the budgetary process and that the time for making objections was then. In addition it is clear from the data that customers want to contact the Council via the internet and by phone.

Following a question, in regards to any guarantees that the Council has with the County Council that they won’t close the libraries and therefore restricting access residents have to PCs, the Panel was informed that there is no guarantee that the County Council will stay open but the Council can put arrangements in place if PCs are not available.

A Member stated that they do not accept that the plan to close the customer service centres was clearly stated in the budget. In response the Panel were informed that planned closures were in the budget and was agreed by Council as part of the budgetary process. The Executive Councillor stated that it is not his fault that the Overview and Scrutiny Panel have not done their job properly. He added why is it fair that the residents of Huntingdonshire subsidise services in these areas.

In response to the Executive Councillor, a Member stated that if it was clear in the budget the Executive Councillor must be very surprised that this is coming up now. The Member added that he could not understand why 25% of population of Huntingdonshire does not justify a customer service centre. The Executive Councillor replied that the service is aware of all individuals who need assistance accessing Council services and can’t travel to Huntingdon.

The Executive Councillor was asked could the Council fund someone to work part time, providing Council services from the County Council library. In response the Head of Customer Services stated that the customer service centres are being closed because they do not get the throughput. He added he can’t make the decision to employ someone to work from the library as it is political decision, however operationally it would not be worthwhile as there is not the flow through the door.

Following the question how are you going to advertise to vulnerable residents that there is a home visiting service, the Panel were informed that the Council can meet customers’ needs through the channels already open.

In response to the question in the intervening period will there be training to assist customers’ transition to internet and telephone based services, Members were informed that yes there will be training from highly trained customer service staff.

The Panel have requested that the Executive Councillor for Transformation and Customers returns to the Panel in April 2018 to provide Members with an update on the changes.