I haven’t had the misfortune to have to deal with the housing department, but I have had to deal with the Council tax and benefit departments, Adult Social Care, my local councillors and MP Ruth Cadbury. All of them could improve the service by simply responding and communicating. A few years ago the counter services and front line staff were disposed of and services moved online or could only be contacted by phone. During the pandemic phones calls and emails were not returned, using covid as an excuse. Now the restrictions are being lifted and that excuse can no longer be used, it should be called out for what it is. Poor service. It is obvious that being short staffed has become a real problem, continuously being told people are too busy to return calls meant that I had to make a formal complaint about the lack of communication, and the council still failed to communicate with me. I have now forwarded my complaints to the ombudsman to investigate, but that doesn’t stop the waste caused by the lack of staff. My neighbour has just been sent a questionnaire on Adult Social Services, as the council have Power of Attorney that means they either have sent it out so they can answer it themselves, or their record keeping is so poor they don’t realise who is incapable of returning the forms. For a department that lacks resources, it is probably not the best use of them sending out large A4 questionnaires knowing they cannot be filled in and returned.
Colin Potter ● 1669d