The report of the Director – Finance and Corporate Services is attached.

It was RESOLVED that the adoption of the Customer Access Strategy 2022-2025 be approved.

The Cabinet Portfolio Holder for Finance and Corporate Services, Councillor Moore presented the report of the Director – Finance and Corporate Services outlining the Customer Access Strategy for 2022-2025.

Councillor Moore referred to the Foreword of the Strategy, which set out the aim of increased customer access, to deliver contemporary, efficient, and easy to use contact channels and services, by responding to customer’s current and future needs, within existing budgets, whilst identifying innovative digital options customers could relate to.  Cabinet noted that the Council was committed to customers accessing its services in ways that suited their needs, and whilst increasing digital services, a balance would be struck to ensure that face to face contact continued, together with exploring customer offers with partner organisations and communities, during this post lockdown environment. 

Councillor Moore stated that customers required services that were easy to access, simple to use, reliable and cost effective, and it was important that the Council increasingly adapted to deliver those services, including further engagement with self-service channels, increased free internet access and mobile technology, in line with customer expectations.   

Councillor Moore advised that the Strategy would support delivery of the Council’s priority of efficient services, whilst complimenting its associated External and Internal Communications Strategy and ultimately it aimed to engage and enable its customers to retain a great quality of life.  

In conclusion, Councillor Moore stated that this was a very comprehensive document, which detailed how customers contacted the Council and how that was changing in the digital world, and he considered that the Council currently had an excellent reputation, although it was important to innovate and improve, including as part of that plans for the new website.

In seconding the recommendation Councillor Brennan endorsed previous comments and stated that this excellent document encapsulated the ethos of the Communications Strategy itself and it made it clear why the Council had responded in the way it had to data received.  It was interesting to see how people contacting the Council had changed pre and post Covid, and how trends had been accelerated and that was why updating the website was very important.  Councillor Brennan stated that it was pleasing that the Council could adapt quickly to customer needs, and despite the increased digital communication, it was important to retain a physical presence in local communities.     

The Leader concurred with previous comments and stated that good communications and access should never be taken for granted.  The Leader expressed surprise at the differing ratios between West Bridgford and the other contact points, with ten times the number of people coming to West Bridgford, although it was noted that this could be reflected by the differing opening times.    

The Leader stated that given the effect of the pandemic, it would be interesting to see how things changed going forward.      

Councillor Upton stated that whilst supporting face to face contact, if the trend went to a critical point, where given the numbers accessing it, a stand alone Council facility was perhaps not viable, he hoped that the Council would look at partnering with other organisations.

The Leader agreed and highlighted that at Cotgrave, it was a multi service facility, which worked successfully.  The Leader also noted that many other councils had significantly more face to face contact compared to Rushcliffe, although that was likely to be associated with the different services that they provided, so it was difficult to compare.     

It was RESOLVED that the adoption of the Customer Access Strategy 2022-2025 be approved.