Newly re-opened Calderdale Council advice centre in Halifax deals with nearly 700 inquiries in first few weeks

Calderdale Council’s Customer First office at Horton Street, Halifax, re-opened to the public in late January following a shake up of services.

Cabinet member for Public Services and Communities, Coun Jenny Lynn (Lab, Park) reported to councillors that in the first three weeks after re-opening, staff saw 680 people dealt with.

Amid the cost of living crisis, staff have also been busy on the phone, with many people inquiring about the Household Support fund, with councils administering funding from Government.

With Council Tax bills set to go out, team members have also started to contact around 22,000 customers who have not yet signed up for Council Tax e-billing.

The message will promote the benefits of paperless billing and will include a link for people to sign up and receive their bill in this way, said Coun Lynn in her report to the full Calderdale Council.

The council’s Early Advice and Support Team (EAST) and Customer First have signed up to be part of the Money Guiders England Network.

Coun Lynn said this is a free learning and development programme open to organisations and individuals who provide any level of money guidance as part of their support to people, and who wish to be part of a supportive practitioner network.

The Calderdale Council Customer Experience Framework and implementation of a new ‘customer promise’ is being discussed at the meeting of Calderdale Council’s Cabinet on Monday March 13 as part of measures to keep improving its services to the public.