North Yorkshire County Council has just changed the way in which social services are accessed. Six "Customer Relations Units" or CRUs are being replaced by one. This single CRU will have, yes you guessed it, an 0845 number!

More information from NYCC about this change here:


Quote:

A change is being made to the way people gain access to social care services provided by North Yorkshire County Council. From next Monday (September 3), all telephone inquiries, emails, letters, faxes, and texts will be dealt with by a single team of customer services officers highly experienced in social care. The team can be contacted on 0845 034 9410. This new service will be available between the hours of 8am and 8pm Monday to Friday, and between 9am and 5pm on Saturdays, and replaces the existing service provided by six Customer Relations Units (CRUs) across the county. […] County councillor Chris Metcalfe, executive member for Adult and Community Services, said: "These changes are aimed at providing a first class service to all in the county who need advice or information on social care.  They will build on the excellent foundation already laid by the Customer Relations Units.”

Well at least they don't claim it's a lo-call or local number.

Maybe worth considering doing an FoI.

I wrote to Councillor Metcalfe on Wednesday 5 September and I've re-sent the email since then. I haven't even received an acknowledgement, so it looks like I will be sending a FOI request in.

North Yorkshire County Council also operates a general 0845 telephone number. Councillor Greg White raised this issue back in February 2007 and he made an entry on his blog:


Quote:

Whilst colleagues of every colour criticised and taunted each other for blatant electioneering, I restricted myself to a technical question about the new NYCC Call Centre, which is due to be launched soon. NYCC would like people to phone in on a new 'non geographic' number which will cost 3p a minute to call. Whilst not exactly a premium rate, many people have packages with free calls which exclude 'non geographic' calls and I was keen to ensure that they would still be able to call the old number. I was able to get a commitment from the Executive that this alternative would be available for the foreseeable future. Source: http://gregwhitesnews.blogspot.com/2007/02/podcasts-and-0845-numbers-at-nycc.html

Dave wrote on Sep 27^th, 2007 at 6:23pm:

North Yorkshire County Council also operates a general 0845 telephone number. Councillor Greg White raised this issue back in February 2007 and he made an entry on his blog:

Its good to know that at least one other councillor in the country over the last few years has been on top of this issue. ;)

https://www3.northyorks.gov.uk/n2cabinet_scru/communications_/reports_/20070615_/01minutesof30ma/01minutesof30ma.pdf

NORTH YORKSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL
COMMUNICATIONS OVERVIEW AND SCRUTINY COMMITTEE
Minutes of the meeting held at County Hall, Northallerton on Friday, 30 March 2007

93 TELEPHONE MIGRATION STRATEGY

CONSIDERED –

Report of the Assistant Chief Executive (Policy, Performance and Partnerships)

Christian Turner introduced the report relating to the roll out of a new telephone system (Project Titan) during 2007 and consequential changes to telephone numbers and the implications of this for the Contact Centre; the County Hall Switchboard; and for members of the public accessing services over the telephone. He stressed that the intention of the strategy was to minimise disruption to citizens but there was a benefit in providing County Council sites with an 0845 number, since this gave flexibility about where the calls received on that number could be directed to, either the Contact Centre or the switchboard. Some of the County Council’s premises, which did not receive significant numbers of calls from the public and which would not receive calls other than those relating specifically to their own area of responsibility might maintain their existing phone number. The changes intended under Project Titan would mean that all calls between County Council premises using the system would be, in effect, internal calls.

In response to a question from County Councillor Barton, Christian Turner said that the Members freephone number would be maintained and that number would be routed through to the Contact Centre.

In response to a question from County Councillor Bill Hoult, Christian Turner said that he would clarify whether there would be any charge to a caller during the transition period, when they received a message saying that the County Council’s telephone number was 0845. In response to a further question from County Councillor Bill Hoult about the introduction of 03 numbers he said that the expectation was that these would be utilised by the County Council, once they became available, although that was not expected until next year. For members of the public contacting the County Council the use of 03 numbers would be beneficial, in many cases, because these would have to be treated as “geographic numbers” and were therefore likely to be included in the telephony agreements entered into by many members of the public.

In response to a question from County Councillor Broadbent, Christian Turner said that if calls received at County Hall, or another site, had to be forwarded there would be no cost incurred if that was done on the wide area network. There would be a cost if the forwarding was on a public network, but it would remain as one call.

In response to County Councillor English, Christian Turner said that no decision had yet been made on whether the County Council’s 01609 telephone number would be discontinued once the new 03 number was available, but the overall aim was to minimise the number of telephone numbers which the public might be expected to use to contact the County Council.

RESOLVED –

That the report be noted.

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https://www3.northyorks.gov.uk/n2cabinet_scru/communications_/reports_/20070907_/01minutesof15ju/01minutesof15ju.pdf

NORTH YORKSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL
COMMUNICATIONS OVERVIEW AND SCRUTINY COMMITTEE
Minutes of the meeting held at County Hall, Northallerton on Friday, 15 June 2007

99 EXECUTIVE MEMBERS’ UPDATE

CONSIDERED –

County Councillor Carl Les was unable to attend the meeting. The Chairman asked Members to send any issues on the report to Rachel Rushforth or contact County Councillor Les direct.

County Councillor Pearson said that he would like an update on the distribution contract for the NY Times as indicated in County Councillor Les’ report. Rachel Rushforth replied that she would contact County Councillor Les and send an update report to Members via email.

County Councillor Swiers informed Members that the Contact Centre was now operational and Rachel Rushforth advised Members that a report on the Contract Centre would come to the Committee as part of a working programme report for the September meeting.

County Councillor Haigh felt that after some initial teething problems the Contact Centre was now working well. County Councillor Haigh spoke to Members of his confusion over the 03 number system. County Councillor Pearson informed Members that the 01 numbers had now run out and 02 was being used solely in London, 03 numbers were purely geographical and would apply to North Yorkshire. Rachel Rushforth advised the Committee that they would be having an update on this issue from Christian Turner who would be reporting about the Contact Centre at the next meeting.

RESOLVED –

That the progress report of the Executive Member be noted and that an update report on the distribution contract for the NY Times be sent to Members by the Scrutiny Officer via email.

https://www3.northyorks.gov.uk/n2cabinet_scru/communications_/reports_/20071109_/01minutesof7sep/01minutesof7sep.pdf

NORTH YORKSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL
COMMUNICATIONS OVERVIEW AND SCRUTINY COMMITTEE
Minutes of the meeting held at County Hall, Northallerton on Friday 7 September 2007

106 CONTACT CENTRE DEVELOPMENT – UPDATE

CONSIDERED –

The report of the Assistant Chief Executive Policy, Performance & Partnership updating the Committee on progress implementing the telephone contact centre.

Members were introduced to Sarah Foley who had recently been appointed to the post of Contact Centre Manager from the private sector.

Robin Mair referred Members to Paragraph 5.4 of the report and said that at the time the report had been written he anticipated that the upgrade of the electrical resilience would be completed during August. This work had been unexpectedly delayed and he apologised for misleading Members. The work was now due to take place during the course of the next eight weeks. Robin Mair confirmed that overall he was pleased with the progress that had been made but there remained a lot of work still to do.

One of the service areas currently under consideration was the use of an 030 number. An 030 number had the same functionalities as an 0845 number but had the added advantage of offering cost savings to those members of the public with call packages. It was explained that the cost of an 0845 number was approximately 2p per minute. For those people with a call plan bundle or package there would be no charge when using an 030 number. Members were informed that the cost advantages offered by call plan bundles meant that many people were switching over to them.

An auction of 030 numbers was due to take place in Spring 2008 and the County Council was currently engaged in enquiries about the availability and likely acquisition cost of a 030 number. A response to those enquiries was still awaited. If successful, the intention was that the 0845 number would be gradually phased out and replaced with the 030 number. Robin Mair anticipated that he would be in a position to report further progress in this area by the end of August 2008. It was noted that in acquiring an 030 number the cost which at the moment, was unable to be quantified would ultimately be born by Council Tax Payers.

Members asked to be kept informed of progress in acquiring an 030 number.

RESOLVED –

(i) That the content of the report be noted.

(ii) That the Assistant Chief Executive Policy Performance and Partnership reports to the Committee in due course on progress made by the County Council in acquiring a 030 number.

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https://www3.northyorks.gov.uk/n2cabinet_cc/reports_/20071010_/8ostatementcomm/8ostatementcomm.pdf

NORTH YORKSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL
10 October 2007
COMMUNICATIONS OVERVIEW AND SCRUTINY COMMITTEE
STATEMENT BY THE CHAIRMAN

Contact Centre Development

13. Members received an update from the Assistant Chief Executive Policy Performance and Partnerships on the progress of the contact centre. The use of an 030 phone number was explained as part of the future service was highlighted and members have asked to be kept informed on progress with acquiring 030 numbers.

---

https://www3.northyorks.gov.uk/n3cabinet_scru/communications_/reports_/20080111_/01minutesof9nov/01minutesof9nov.pdf

NORTH YORKSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL
COMMUNICATIONS OVERVIEW AND SCRUTINY COMMITTEE
Minutes of the meeting held at County Hall, Northallerton on Friday, 9 November 2007

117. WEBSITE STRATEGY AND INTERNET UPDATE

CONSIDERED –

Report of the Assistant Chief Executive Policy, Performance and Partnership outlining the progress made on implementing a new web publishing system and seeks comments on the future plans for further development of the web site. It also updated elected Members on the position regarding 030 telephone numbers.

Jo Broadbent informed Members that Robin Mair had been unable to attend the meeting due to a prior engagement and that he would be coming to the January meeting where he would give Members an updated report on the position statement which would include a demonstration on the internet to Members. She handed round a summary prepared by Robin Mair briefing Members on the intranet and internet and the 030 numbers, (a copy is included in the Minute Book).

RESOLVED –

Members noted the progress made.

Dave wrote on Apr 5^th, 2009 at 5:27pm:

County Councillor Haigh spoke to Members of his confusion over the 03 number system. County Councillor Pearson informed Members that the 01 numbers had now run out and 02 was being used solely in London, 03 numbers were purely geographical and would apply to North Yorkshire.

Quite unbelievable.  Just what position does Councillor Pearson hold with this body and what remote planet exactly does he/she come from!