District Council to Extend its Customer Services

Early evening opening at Cromer offices and housing advice service in Wells

20 January, 2003

North Norfolk District Council is to extend its service for local people, giving them more opportunities to access advice on benefits, council tax and housing issues.

Starting in February - and following a successful trial period - the benefits and council tax enquiry desk at the Council's Cromer offices in Holt Road will continue to remain open until 6.30pm on the second Wednesday of each month.

This 'early evening opening' initiative, which was initially suggested by members of staff as a way of improving their service, is being introduced to help local people who find it difficult to get to the offices during working hours.

Staff will be on hand on those evenings to help with enquiries regarding housing and council tax benefits, council tax, business rates, bus passes, and debt recovery, except for council housing arrears. They will also be able to take payments by cheque and debit card. In addition, North Norfolk residents will be able to make their evening enquiries or payments by telephone on (01263) 516230 or 517930 or 516073.

"We have been experimenting with early evening opening since last spring, and now, as word is getting around, it's clear that it's a useful and valued service for many people who find it a bit of a struggle getting to the offices during the day," said Maureen Wells, Business Support Officer in the Council's Revenues section. "Demand has increased over the months, and we are helping visitors, as well as telephone callers."

A second new initiative, which will start on Wednesday 19 February, is a drop-in housing advice service (together with the full benefits and council tax enquiry service listed above) at the Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) in The Sackhouse, Jicklings Yard, Wells-next-the-Sea. Council staff will be on duty there from 10.15am to 12.15pm on the first and third Wednesdays of each month.

The housing advice service, which is also available, of course, at NNDC's offices in Cromer, Fakenham and North Walsham, will cover a range of subjects, including: dealing with mortgage or rent arrears, harassment and illegal eviction, domestic violence, loss of tied accommodation, debt advice, relationship breakdown affecting housing, claiming housing benefit, potential homelessness, and help with completing an application form for the Common Housing Register.

The housing advice service will be free and confidential, and callers will not need to make an appointment. However, home visits may be arranged by appointment, if required.

Members of the public can have free access to the internet at the CAB in Wells-next-the-Sea, from 9.30am to 11.30am on Tuesdays, and from 10.15am to 12.15pm on the first and third Wednesdays of each month. The internet access has been provided as part of North Norfolk's Reach Out project, which has developed an interactive website (www.northnorfolk.org) and aims to make a number of internet access-points available in more remote communities of the District.

ENDS

For more information about the late evening opening at NNDC's Cromer offices, contact Maureen Wells on (01263) 516116. For more information about the new housing advice service in Wells-next-the-Sea, contact Lisa Grice, Senior Housing Advisory Officer, on 01263 516222.