Ms M Edwards will present a petition on behalf of 836 signatories regarding the closure of St Neots Customer Services Centre. The Petition statement is as follows:
“Keep St Neots Customer Service Centre open.
Many residents of St Neots will have no easy access to local benefits, council tax and housing queries.
Without a local District Council Office anyone who has no transport, has mobility difficulties, no access to the internet or simply can’t afford the bus fare to Huntingdon will be unable to contact the District Council in a timely and convenient manner.
Huntingdon District Council have in the past said they will keep the office open. Now they have reneged on their decision.
Please sign to let them know how important this facility is to the town.”
[Presentation of Petition – 5 Minutes
Questions to Petitioner – 5 Minutes
Ensuing Debate – No longer than 15 Minutes].
Minutes:
The Chairman invited Ms M Edwards to present a petition submitted on behalf of 836 signatories regarding the closure of St Neots Customer Service Centre. In so doing Ms Edwards thanked the Council for allowing her the opportunity to present and drew Members attention to the concerns raised by residents of St Neots on announcement of closure of the Customer Service Centre in St Neots. In particular concern was expressed for the most vulnerable residents with limited transport facilities, affordability for public transport or access to the Internet and it was suggested that the service was deliberately run down to provide an excuse for closure.
Reference was made to various cases of vulnerable individuals that would not benefit from a home visit and urged the District Council to re-consider the decision to close the Customer Service Centre in an attempt to continue to assist the poor, aged and disabled individuals in Huntingdonshire.
In responding to the petitioner, Councillor P L R Gaskin referred to his attendance as a Member of the Digital Advisory Group that had been apprised of the development of the Council’s Digital Strategy through the online Customer Portal and opportunities that this had allowed for improved accessibility for Huntingdonshire’s residents outside of normal office hours and the development of partnership working with a health centre in St Neots to offer extended services to its residents. Whilst sharing concern for the vulnerable in the District, Councillor Gaskin outlined his reassurance that the Council would continue to support the needs of the residents and would be further highlighted by the Executive Councillor for Digital and Customers, Councillor D M Tysoe.
Councillor Dr N Johnson commended the presentation of the petition and outlined his concern that residents had a preference for face to face contact and suggested that it was necessary for a District Council presence in St Neots through further consultation to establish the need.
In referring to the closure of the Customer Service Centre, Councillor Ms M Beuttell acquainted Members with the comments of Councillor T D Alban, in his absence, by referring to his concern for the proposal and as a result had visited the Centre but his experience had demonstrated the lack of customers and had accepted the decision in light of the suggested scope for development of other options to support the needs of the residents.
Councillor Mrs A Diaz outlined her primary concern that not all residents had access to the Internet and although appreciated that the decision to close had been for financial reasons and shared the views of the petitioner that support should be provided for the community as well as the vulnerable of the District.
Councillor Mrs S A Giles commended the presentation of the petition and referred to the difficulties that some St Neots residents had in terms of affordability to visit Huntingdon to visit the Council headquarters.
Members noted the concerns raised by Councillor Ms S Smith in respect of the calls managed by the Call Centre and ability to support the transition of face to face enquiries to the telephone, as well as concern for suggested home visits for the vulnerable both for the individual and Officer visiting.
In thanking the petitioner for the presentation, Councillor Mrs S J Conboy commended the progress that had been made by the Council in providing alternative support as this affected many other areas of the District with limited bus services as well as St Neots.
Members noted the concern raised by Councillor J C Cooper-Marsh that the effect of closure would impact on groups such as Disability Huntingdonshire that was already struggling to meet the needs and support for disabled people in the District.
The Executive Councillor for Digital and Customers, Councillor D M Tysoe, explained that the priority for the Council was to provide the best service to its customers and highlighted the substantial drop in attendance figures year on year to the Customer Service Centre in St Neots which had demonstrated that demand for services had been changing. With the introduction of Universal Credit this had also changed the Council’s relationship with customers and Councillor Tysoe reminded Members that the Council had welcomed the opening of a shared centre at the Council’s headquarters in Huntingdon working with the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) that had led to an improved service to customers requiring the services of the Council and DWP.
Attention was drawn to the nature of the visits to the St Neots Customer Service Centre, with over half visiting to submit documentary evidence for claims that could be met in the future by online submission. Members also noted the figures presented on those registered for the Customer Portal with over 4K registered since going live and one third in receipt of benefits, as well as over 50% of those registering were out of normal office hours. It was further noted that St Neots represented the highest number of accounts on the Portal.
Members were acquainted with details of work being undertaken working with the Library Service to support those residents without access to the Internet and further details of case studies of individuals who had used the Customer Service Centre previously but had been encouraged to make use of alternative methods to support access to the Council’s services.
In thanking the petitioner, Ms M Edwards, for presenting the petition and Members for their comments, the Chairman encouraged further contact to be made with the Executive Councillor to highlight any further areas of concern with support needed going forward for the residents that had previously used the Customer Service Centre.
Actions:25 Minutes.