We would prefer you to contact us digitally, however, which ever route you choose we will:

Treat you as an individual, protect your personal information and treat you with dignity and respect.
We will listen to you, respond to your needs, keep you informed and communicate clearly
Wherever possible, answer your enquiry at first point of contact. Where appropriate, we will put you in touch with other organisations for assistance.
Provide easy to understand, useful and up to date service information in a clear format
Give you options to access services by the method you prefer and acknowledge and accommodate any specific disability related or translation requirements
Ensure our staff are appropriately trained and competent to deliver our services

We encourage you to use our website wherever possible. Our website is full of information about the services we provide and you can also apply for many of our services online. New information and online services are being added and updated regularly.

When you self serve utilising our website, we will

Make it easy for you to find the information and services you want.
Have an accessible and useable website, with up to date information.
Continually work to improve technology and implement cost effective service improvements to enable you to make payments, complete forms and make bookings online.

When you telephone us, we will

Provide you with our name and department when answering the phone.
Advise you of services and information from our website relevant to the nature of your enquiry.
Use technology to ensure your call is directed to the most appropriate individual with the skills to resolve your enquiry at first point of contact, avoiding unnecessary hand-offs and ‘menus’ of options.
Where necessary, pass your enquiry on to another department, ensuring that your details and the nature of the enquiry are passed on, so that you do not have to repeat yourself. We will establish a convenient time to call you back.
Answer 85% of all calls and aim to avoid the use of voicemail. Where voicemail is used, staff will respond to messages within 2 working days.
Continuously review the opening hours of the Customer Service Centre in order to respond to customer demand.

When you write to us, we will

Respond to your e-mail or enquiry via a digital channel in full within 5 working days and ensure that you know who to contact if you require more information.
Respond to your letter in full within 10 working days and ensure that you know who to contact if you require more information.
Respond within 20 working days to requests managed under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (this is a statutory obligation for councils).
Where we are unable to respond in full within the timescales stated above, we will advise you of this and provide detail of when a full response will be provided.

When you visit us, we will

Keep our core offices open and available to the public from 9am - 5pm, Monday to Thursday and 9am-4.30pm Fridays.
Greet you promptly on your arrival and ensure that our name badges are visible.
Aim to resolve general enquiries within 15 minutes of your arrival.
Ensure all reception areas are clearly signposted and include a seated waiting area and private interview facilities.
Access help as soon as possible if you have special communication or access needs

When we visit you, we will

Ensure that, where appropriate, we will have made an agreed prior appointment at a time and place, mutually suitable to you and us
Aim to arrive promptly, however, if we are delayed we will make contact with you to let you know
Prominently display our identification and introduce ourselves and the purpose of the meeting

What we expect from you

Please help us to help you by providing all the information we need to progress your enquiry
Tell us when your personal circumstances have changed and let us know if you need to cancel an appointment or request for a service.
Treat our staff with courtesy and respect. We will not tolerate the use of physical or verbal abuse in any form, including the use of foul and abusive language.

If we fail to meet your expectations or you would like to provide us with feedback, please go to our contact us pages for details on how to do this. We value feedback as an opportunity to improve the way in which we deliver our services. All feedback will be responded to in full within 10 working days. We will act quickly if we’ve got it wrong and take appropriate action to resolve issues.