Shepway Chairman's Blog

This week is Customer Service week and we councillors have been asked to get involved in the work of the frontline staff.  Last year I spent a few hours in the call centre and was impressed by the wide variety of calls that come in to the council and the unfailing patience and politeness of the staff dealing with them.  Today, Monday 5 October, I have joined the staff on reception and helping with enquiries from personal callers at the Civic Centre in Folkestone.

Despite the bad weather it is a busy afternoon with up to six people waiting to be seen at any one time.  Several people just leave documents or use the phone and computer provided to contact the person they need.  Some people look surprised to see someone on reception wearing a gold chain of office but most appear to think this is the normal way we receive callers.

 

The Community Safety Unit staff are also in reception asking people to make comments on a ‘graffitti wall’ about what community safety means to them and one visitor is keen to set up a neighbourhood watch in his area.

 

Cabinet Member for Customer Services, Cllr Pam Carr has set up a number of activities for councillors and has been setting a good example.  This morning she was on reception and during the week she will be out and about in the district in the mobile unit and the one-stop shops.  Cllr David Godfrey has volunteered to join the ‘Operation Cubit’ team which deals with abandoned cars.  If any of the district councillors are reading this, can they leave a comment about what they have done for Customer Services week?

 

The time on reception goes quickly as we are busy.  It’s good to see how cheerfully and professionally the staff deal with our customers and good to have a week where Customer Services is in the spotlight.

 

District Councillor David Godfrey has sent me this account.

“Last week was National Customer Service Week during which District Councillors are encouraged to get involved in the day to day activities of Councils. On Wednesday 7^th October I teamed up with Giles Barnard from Shepway Community Safety Unit in the back of a marked police car to witness first hand how Operation Cubit operated.  Operation Cubit is a multi agency exercise involving Kent police,  DVLA  and District Council in carrying out a blitz on untaxed vehicles on the highways, not only are the owners of such vehicles breaking the law the vehicles are invariably uninsured , in poor condition and  a liability to other road users.

 

On the day I was with the team we started in Hawkinge which forms part of North Downs East Ward for whom I am a councillor. I am quite pleased to report that only three potentially offending vehicles were identified  and following properly instigated checks with the DVLA including whether a SORN* declaration had been made only one was actually taken away.  Officers used discretion in another case where the vehicle tax was only just a month overdue but a valid disabled badge was displayed and it was felt that the owner may not have good reason for being overdue.  The third case involved a vehicle not parked on a highway but was on Shepway property. In such cases the DVLA cannot authorise removal therefore Community Safety officer will need to return and apply a warning notice and if the owner fails to take appropriate action the Council will make other arrangements for the vehicles removal.  From Hawkinge we moved into Folkestone and a further 3 vehicles were removed and two further owners chose to pay on site with an accompanying fine.

 

I then experienced an unexpected blue flashing light incident.  The police officers keen eye had spotted an accident damaged vehicle which was clearly unroadworthy being driven in the opposite direction of travel to the police car. Our police driver quickly turned his car round and switched on blue lights and siren upon which the offending driver wisely pulled over. After questioning the police officers use their discretion and issued a statutory notice which required the driver to take the vehicle straight in for repair. (For Monopoly players a kind of do not pass go, do not collect £200 scenario). Failure to comply and evidence such compliance will result in a prosecution for the Owner.

 

During the week a total of 29 vehicles were removed on specially equipped lorries, a further 7 owners took the opportunity to pay their road tax on site together with a hefty fine.

 

An interesting experience for me and one in which the public seemed to be clearly sympathetic with the cause.”

 

Cllr David Godfrey

North Downs East Ward.