Customer services are to continue at all Richmondshire District Council’s Community Offices – but with hours rationalised – leading to savings of over £25,000.
A review of the five bases in the district, using data collected by local staff, has shown reduced visits to the offices as a result of increased electronic access to council services. This has led members of the council’s Corporate Board to agree that cover should be reduced from April next year (2017).
Office hours are to be rationalised in district council area offices across Richmondshire – leading to savings of over £25,000.
A review of the five bases in the district has shown reduced visits to the offices as a result of increased electronic access to council services. This has led members of the council’s Corporate Board to agree that cover should be reduced from April next year (2017).
Only the authority’s headquarters in Richmond will remain unchanged, although councillors were told that over the last three years 2.6 full time posts have been lost. Changes at the offices in Hawes, Colburn, Reeth and Leyburn were agreed:
- In Hawes – where the council contributes to the Upper Wensleydale Community Partnership for the office services – there has been a marked decline in customers over the last six months, with an average of just 20 people each week. Officers have been asked to reduce the level of support provided to the partnership going forward.
- In Colburn officers have been asked to look to working with North Yorkshire County Council to enable a base to be set up in the library.
- In Reeth where footfall is around 26 people a week, office opening hours will be reduced from three days to one day a week, with customers asked for their preferred days.
- Leyburn is currently open five days a week but customer use shows that three days would be sufficient – they are to be asked which days are preferred.
“We have some difficult decisions to make to hit our savings targets this year – and this is one of the hardest ones so far,” said Council Leader, Councillor Yvonne Peacock.
“We have five area offices and many of them are underused for a good deal of the week.
We looked at data from several years – including that for over the six months to February – recording all visits and transactions at all the bases to allow us to make a considered decision on their future. Our overriding concern is to retain a level of service in the smaller communities – and our plans for next April allow for that.”
Councillors were told that over 16,000 customers came through the offices during the six months, the bulk of which were at the main Richmond office.
They also agreed to phase out the acceptance of cheques for payment and the issuing of receipts for anything other than cash payments.