Lib Dems Plan Bigger & Better Customer Service

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Tue 1st Aug 2006

The popular and innovative MK Direct Customer Service Centre at the Civic Offices is to be expanded. The Liberal Democrat led Council is planning major improvements to give an even bigger and better customer service to residents.

The current Centre was opened in April 2005 allowing people to have many queries dealt with face to face in a relaxed environment. The Lib Dems planned expansion will mean residents will be able to:

• go to the Civic Offices and access all Council services in a larger Centre;

• do it from home with an improved phone service;

• use e-mail or the revolutionary on-line transaction facility.

The expanded centre will occupy the whole of the ground floor and some of the first floor at Civic Offices. This will stop the need to traipse over to Saxon Court on the other side of CMK for some services.

Cllr. Cec Tallack, the Lib Dem Cabinet Member responsible for customer service said; "The Liberal Democrat initiative in opening MK Direct last year heralded a major advance in customer service in Milton Keynes. The new improvements are aimed at making it the leading "One Stop Shop" for public services in the country. This is being delivered in conjunction with our private sector partners HBS, providing a service that the Council alone would never have been able to provide"

The plan going to Cabinet on Tuesday* will provide a bigger and better MK Direct. It will also make much more effective use of Saxon Court by remodelling the office space to make it more attractive for staff and more space efficient. This, coupled with plans to make much better use of electronic record keeping and facilitating some staff to work from home, will mean that the Council can move out of expensive offices in Lloyds Court. The plan will ensure the Lib Dem led Council makes more efficient and cost effective use of Council offices, give a better service to the public and a better working environment for staff as well as replacing a lot of paperwork with much more efficient electronic means of doing business.

• The full report can be viewed at

http://cmis.milton-keynes.gov.uk/cmiswebpublic/Binary.ashx?Document=16973