Hi,
Does anybody have an alternative number for Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council, Children & Young Peoples Service, Referral & Assessment Service? (Social Services).  I have a lot of social worker colleagues who complain that its so expensive dialling into work when they are on visits etc, using our main office numbers: 0845 352 8705 and 0845 352 8648.  

Our department is Referral & Assessment Service,
1-7 Crystal Drive,
Smethwick,
B66 1QG.
www.sandwell.gov.uk

I'd be very grateful for any help as i've searched the database and couldnt find the number on there.

Thanks :)

What non-geographical number do you have for them? They seem to use a small number of 0845 numbers for anything.

On this page:
http://www.laws.sandwell.gov.uk/ccm/navigation/contact-the-council/contact-sandwell/
they have an out of hours "emergency duty service" for their Children's services. I don't suggest you call this, though, as it's intended for people to call if they are worried about the welfare of children.

How about this councillor's page:
http://www.councillor.info/sandwell/tcrumpton/19413/Default.aspx

It gives numbers:

Social Services - Adults
0121 544 6029

Social Services - Children
0121 569 5412

Try these and if you have any luck, please let us know!

You might like to raise the issue of 0845 numbers with your local councillors. For some background information see its thread here.

:-? Surely as  you work for the Council the council should supply you with the  alternative geographical numbers if their are any, on the grounds that it will cut the costs of your mobile calls,and cut their expenses claims if any of the costs are reclaimable.

jrawle wrote on Oct 17^th, 2008 at 9:29pm:

What non-geographical number do you have for them? They seem to use a small number of 0845 numbers for anything. On this page: http://www.laws.sandwell.gov.uk/ccm/navigation/contact-the-council/contact-sandwell/ they have an out of hours "emergency duty service" for their Children's services. I don't suggest you call this, though, as it's intended for people to call if they are worried about the welfare of children. How about this councillor's page: http://www.councillor.info/sandwell/tcrumpton/19413/Default.aspx It gives numbers: Social Services - Adults 0121 544 6029 Social Services - Children 0121 569 5412 Try these and if you have any luck, please let us know!

Thanks for replying!
Yea thats the out of hours number, i never use that and the 2 numbers below for adults/children unfortunately dont work anymore :P  maybe coz the 0845 number we use is one that isnt published much, is probably why i cant find it... just realised!  i think i might have to ask the company itself coz it doesnt make sense why we should be dialling an 0845..

thanks   :)

Dave wrote on Oct 17^th, 2008 at 10:43pm:

You might like to raise the issue of 0845 numbers with your local councillors. For some background information see its thread here.

Thanks for that :)
Im going to definately be raising the issue :P  workers are always complaining about it!

oldharryrocks wrote on Oct 18^th, 2008 at 1:48am:

:-? Surely as  you work for the Council the council should supply you with the  alternative geographical numbers if their are any, on the grounds that it will cut the costs of your mobile calls,and cut their expenses claims if any of the costs are reclaimable.

Thanks for replying.. :)
yea i think thats the best thing and just speak to the company, coz from work's mobiles its all getting claimed back from the company... doesnt make sense..  :P

To us mere tax/Council tax payers, it sounds so easy - the council should supply its staff with the geographical numbers so as to cut down on its staff's mobile call costs and, hence, on their expenses claims.

Unfortunately, that sounds as though it needs just a tad of 'joined up thinking' - which is not likely to be present amongst the bean counters of such an organisation.  They probably don't realise that calls to 0845 numbers from mobiles are more expensive than calls to geographical numbers and, even if they do, it'll be a different department that deals with expenses claims - and, although that other department's staff might notice the high cost, they're the ones who don't know that calls to 0845 numbers from mobiles are more expensive than calls to geographical numbers.  Form a circle people.

In any case, it's only Council tax payers' money so why should they care - this is rip-off Britain, right?