Warwickshire News Mine

Whether it’s posting a letter, applying for a disabled parking badge, finding out about recycling collections or reporting a faulty street light, everything has come under one roof in Shire Hall on Market Square in Warwick.

Popping into the new Warwickshire Direct walk-in centre in Shire Hall offers people access to services previously only available individually from Warwickshire County Council and Warwick District Council.

Couple this with the opening of Warwick’s all-new Post Office within the same walk-in centre, and people have never had it so easy when it comes to accessing services.

To celebrate this new service everyone is welcome to a special open day on Saturday, 5th July, from 10am to 4pm to discover what’s on offer and chat to the advisors. There will be refreshments, live music, tours of Shire Hall, face painting and colouring for the little ones, goody bags to take away and a prize draw for a Warwickshire Country Park season ticket or a Family Swim Membership.

Cllr Les Caborn, Portfolio Holder for Customer and Business at Warwick District Council, said: “There’s no need for residents to worry about which council provides which service. We’ll be able to answer your query at the first point of contact."

The new centre includes dedicated customer service desks, private areas where people can discuss matters confidentially and free internet access.

Here are just some of the services on offer:
Register for Council Tax
Apply for housing and Council Tax benefit
Apply for a disabled parking badge
Arrange for the collection of bulky household items
View planning applications
Report highway problems
Find out about refuse and recycling collections
Apply for a national bus pass
Report an abandoned vehicle
Information on compost bins and the Home Woodchipping Service

Plus there are the many postal, business, travel and insurance services on offer from the Post Office, including:
Car tax and licences
Pensions and benefits
Letters and parcels – special delivery, mail direction
Travel – insurance, bureau de change with 0% commission free on foreign currency
Passport check and send
Business – Parcelforce worldwide, special delivery 9am
Banking services – moneygram and gift vouchers

Cllr Heather Timms, Warwickshire County Council’s Portfolio Holder for Corporate Services, said: “We are bringing a range of services, including county and district council services, closer to people in Warwick. It’s a fantastic facility for local residents.”

An internal courtyard area of Shire Hall has been in-filled and the old reception area extended to create space for the new ‘Warwickshire Direct’ centre.

‘Warwickshire Direct’ is the latest phase of an exciting project involving Warwickshire County Council and Warwick District Council. It follows the success of ‘Warwickshire Direct – Kenilworth’, a similar centre that has benefited thousands of residents in Kenilworth since it opened in October 2005.

‘Warwickshire Direct – Whitnash’, another joint venture involving the county and district council in collaboration with Whitnash Town Council and Warwickshire Police’s local Safer Neighbourhoods team, was officially opened in December last year on the premises of Whitnash Library.

It also follows the success of other ‘Warwickshire Direct’ centres around the county in locations including Atherstone, Nuneaton, Bedworth and Southam.

Cllr Les Caborn, Warwick District Council, continued:  “The one stop shop at Shire Hall, Warwick makes accessing council services easier for yet another community in Warwick district. Working in partnership with the public and voluntary sectors, one stop shops will be available in other parts of the district.”

Commenting on the relocation of Warwick Post Office to Shire Hall, Post Office Manager and Postmistress, Paul and Bala Jaspal, said: “We’d like to thank the county council for letting us be part of this exciting project, especially as this is the first one in the county. Through this arrangement, we have secured the life of the Post Office in Warwick.

“The Warwick public can be assured that their Post Office is here to stay, providing them with much brighter, better services in a professional environment. Every service has been retained or enhanced.”

Cllr Timms added: “With the opening of the new ‘Warwickshire Direct’ one stop shop at Shire Hall, it makes perfect sense that the Post Office, which is also offering a vital service to the community, is located alongside it.”

Link to WCC