The Access to Services Best Value Review was an ambitious and potentially influential review undertaken by the Council as part of the Best Value process. It set out Leeds City Council’s agenda for delivering better services over the following 5 years, and brought with it an opportunity to improve the way the Council interacts with its customers.
Access to services were defined as being far more than just getting through on the telephone, or having a pleasant face to greet you at one of our public buildings, but about getting a good service from beginning to end and actually receiving the service needed.
During the course of this review much evidence was found of good practice, and of staff striving to deliver a good service. We also found, however, that there was a lot of inconsistency, and that residents often do not know about the services delivered, or, if they do, find it difficult to contact us.
A Summary Report, a Full Report and a Service Improvement Plan were produced following the review (all of which can be viewed through the links on this page in .pdf format). The Service Improvement Plan identified more than 30 ‘areas for improvement’ following the review and more than 100 underpinning ‘actions’: these cover telephone access, face to face contact and the development of electronic self service channels, such as the Internet and E-mail.
Conclusions from the review were that, despite the acknowledgement that change will not happen overnight, if actions in the Service Improvement Plan were implemented, the results would be that:
Our customers will:
- find it easy to get through to the right person
- be able to call us in the evening and at weekends
- always get a timely response
- be promised service standards which are met consistently
- be aware of the services to which they are entitled
- feel confident that their queries will be dealt with satisfactorily
Staff will:
- feel supported and empowered to deliver excellent service
- be proud to work for Leeds City Council
- communicate openly across directorates
- take ownership of customer problems
Elected members will:
- receive far fewer complaints from the public
- receive compliments on the running of the Council