Agenda item

To consider an overview of the proposed integration and resultant structure of Benefits, Local Taxation and Customer Services.

Following a previous report to Corporate Committee on the integration of Benefits and Local Taxation with Customer Services a consultation process with staff had been undertaken and the resultant comments from the trade unions was enclosed along with the Council’s response to the issues raised. The Committee noted that the new structure involved a reduction from 317 posts to 235.5 posts with a net reduction of 81.5 FTE posts. Following a number of voluntary redundancy requests the   integrated service was 7.3FTE posts short.  The service would achieve a saving of £1.7m over two years from this integration.

Following the closure of Hornsey and North Tottenham Customer service centres concerns were raised in relation to the queuing time at Wood Green Customer services centre. Residents were speaking with Councillors about the length of time that they were waiting to be seen.   The Committee were advised that current queuing times were 40 minutes. 60% of enquiries to the customer service centres related to benefits and local taxation and these contacts would take longer to process.  There was a strategy being worked to encourage customers to use the web for the transactions available. It was anticipated that the parking permits and visitor permits would be available online in October. There was ongoing work to enable libraries to issue visitor permits in libraries and Members of the Committee would be advised when this facility was available.

In response to questions about the organisation of enquiries received by the Customer Service Centres, Members were advised that there was an initial assessment of the enquiry by the reception desk. The Customer Service centre to ascertain whether they could deal with the enquiry immediately i.e. by issuing a form or providing them with a ticket to see a customer service operative.  They would be directed to the appropriate queue( benefit enquiries and parking enquiries  had separate queues)  It was noted that Monday was the busiest day at the Wood Green, with customers coming to the centre around 8.30am in the morning. The centre would open early if there were adequate staff in place to allow this. Staff would also seek to provide documents to customers waiting in the queue where appropriate or make appointments for them.

In response  to the suggestion to have collection boxes for returning forms , this idea had been trialled before and  there had been a high proportion of documents returned  without complete information  causing delays in completing the enquiry and meaning that the customer needed to come back a second time to the centre to complete their transaction. 

Concern was expressed about Customer Service Centres not being able to accept cash and this was discussed along with the closure of the Cashiers centre.  It was noted that there was already an agreed policy move away from cash transactions at Council buildings, including libraries. A pay card scheme had been looked at but as yet there was no working solution to be put forward.

RESOLVED

1. That the overview of the current and proposed shape of the services as set out in Appendices 2, 3 and 4 be noted.

2. That the responses to Unison’s comments in Appendix 6 be noted.

3. That the proposals and resolutions agreed at Corporate Committee meeting 21 July be noted.

4. That the rationale and key elements of the proposed integration of Benefits and Local Taxation with Customer Services be agreed.

5. That approval is given to an integrated Benefits and Local Taxation and Customer Service Division.