Issue - meetings

To consider a joint report of the Head of Wellbeing and Head of Policy and Performance.

Note: With the permission of the Chairman, Councillor D Flude attended the meeting and addressed the committee in respect of this matter.

The Committee considered a joint report of the Head of Health and Wellbeing and Customer Services Manager, relating to changes in provision of customer access in libraries, achieved by the creation of single Council access points.

Between April and September 2010, the first phase of the transfer of customer points had taken place in Alsager, Congleton, Holmes Chapel, Middlewich and Knutsford. This had been achieved by making better use of staffing and property resources and transferring the former district Council Customer Service points into libraries.

The second phase was now under consideration, following a review of the lessons learned in phase 1.

The main additional demand from customers visiting libraries had been identified as:

• Taking Council tax payments in former Congleton Borough locations
• Issuing concessionary travel passes
• Providing advice and support for benefits applications and receiving and verifying evidence relating to a benefits claim

There had been a small number of complaints received relating to the lack of privacy, particularly when customers wished to discuss a sensitive issue, such as a benefits claim. Library staff were addressing this in the short term by taking customers to a more suitable location within the library to hold such conversations. In the longer term, the new library design would remove the traditional counter and there would be greater use of customer self service which in turn, would reduce queues.

In response to Members questions relating to the new self service arrangements and payment methods such as ‘Paypoint’ and other automated payment methods, the Head of Policy and Performance informed the Committee that a considerable amount of data had been collated by the former district Councils that would provide evidence to support the economic case for this type of payment method and would also show that there was now also greater choice for customers.

The Council’s Customer Services Strategy was currently being reviewed  which would allow Customer Service Centres in Crewe and Macclesfield to provide customers with a one stop shop service including access to specialist staff on an appointment basis. Libraries and other community hubs where appropriate, would provide an information point service in other locations. The information points would be able top provide information and signpost customers to self serve. Work was ongoing to describe the role that libraries would play in the community hub, learning from the lessons of the initial transfer of Customer Service Points.

RESOLVED – That the report be received.