Contact Rother team on tour

The single number 01424 787000 has been set up to direct calls through to a team of multi skilled officers who can deal with enquiries over the phone.

Lisa Hayward-Bartlett, the Contact Centre Team Leader said "The main aim of the week was to inform residents, businesses and tourists, our customers, that the new Contact Centre was there to make contacting the Council easier whatever the reason was for wishing to speak to us."

The team reached all four corners of the district in a "High Tech" coach which gave officers the opportunity to demonstrate how easy it now is to access Rother District Council Services over the internet, www.rother.gov.uk, allowing people access to a range of Rother District Council Services 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Kim Ross, Head of Customer Services stated "This is very much a Contact Centre for all the residents of Rother whether they live in Ticehurst '“ Rye '“ Burwash '“ or Bexhill. We would hope that our efforts over the last week have helped to make all our customers aware that Rother's services are just one phone call away. We now have the ability to deal with the majority of your enquiries in just one telephone call on 01424 787000".

Over the week children were encouraged to join in with the experience, with a colouring competition, balloons and word searches.

The week ended in Devonshire Square on Saturday '“ a beautiful day which saw many residents out and about talking to council officers, supported by the Mayor Councillor Douart, the Cabinet portfolio holder for Putting Customers First Councillor Joy Hughes, the Leader of the Council Councillor Carl Maynard and Councillors Martyn Forster, Bridgette George, Paul Lendon and Christopher Starnes.

Cllr Hughes, who accompanied the coach as it toured the District, said "It has been a very interesting, if somewhat exhausting week, meeting residents from all parts of our wonderful District. I feel that many more people now have a greater awareness of the services that Rother District Council provides on their behalf as well as those services for which we are not responsible. I would like to thank all the staff who took part in the tour as well as those who stayed in the office to hold the fort and continue to serve our customers to the high standards that we now expect. I am very proud of the customer service team who have been a credit to Rother District Council. I would also like to thank my fellow Councillors for their support during the week and the village halls that opened their doors and made us welcome."

Rother is the first Council in this area to introduce a single number Contact Centre that aims to deal with the majority of calls, whatever the subject, at that first point of contact and already is proving to be the envy of other local authorities in the area."