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

Maybe worth considering doing an FoI.

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:

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

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.

---

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

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.

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


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