Extra Time for calling the council
North Warwickshire residents are getting an extra 15 hours a week to make calls about council services thanks to a partnership between North Warwickshire Borough Council and Warwickshire County Council.
Currently, telephone calls regarding council services in North Warwickshire are answered at the one-stop shop in Atherstone from 8.30 am to 5.45pm Monday to Friday and 10am to 1pm on Saturdays.
However, as the county council’s call centre in King’s House, Bedworth operates until 8pm on weekdays and is open from 9 until 4pm on Saturdays, calls will now be answered from 5.15pm, and on a Saturday, by Warwickshire County Council staff. This change will increase the hours that customers can contact the Council from 49hrs 15 mins per week to 64hrs 30 mins, an increase of 30%.
This has been possible because the county council, along with the five borough and district councils across Warwickshire, share the same telephone system enabling a seamless service to be provided to North Warwickshire customers by ringing just one telephone number 01827 715341.
Cllr Carol Fox, portfolio holder for Community Life North Warwickshire Borough Council, said: “We are delighted that our involvement as part of the Warwickshire Direct Partnership has given our customers in North Warwickshire the opportunity to call and make enquiries about borough council business at a much greater range of times to fit in with their lives at no extra cost.”
Cllr Heather Timms, portfolio holder for corporate services with Warwickshire County Council said: “The county council and the borough council, through the Warwickshire Direct Partnership, are raising the standards of their customer service, using resources most effectively to reduce wastage and ensuring best use of resources. This is an excellent example of how effective partnership working can be and how our residents can see real benefits.”