Dave, just clicking on ur link, I noticed at the bottom of the page there is a section with NON 0845 numbers listed....

Contact numbers by location:
0845 053 0000 /01772 221600      Main contact number
0845 053 0011 /      01772 221611      Highways
0845 053 0049 /      01772 221649      Blue Badge applications
0845 053 0009 /      01772 221609      Social care
0845 053 0021 /      01772 221621      Registrar of births, marriages and deaths
0845 053 0040 /      01772 221640      Safer travel
0845 053 0008 /      01772 538888      Corporate vacancies
0845 053 0028 /      01772 221628      Safeguarding adults
0845 602 1043 /      01772 536700      Social care emergency duty team
0800 328 1635 /      01772 883453      Road safety publicity and education
0800 195 1273 / 01772 221204      School crossing patrols

Seems the are learning....

Regards,

Dave wrote on Feb 25^th, 2010 at 12:31pm:

This is actually close to a model example. They retain the 0845 numbers for the benefit of out of call plan BT callers who would find them cheaper and even offer geo alternatives for the 0800 numbers.

There are two 0845 numbers without alternatives. This could be because they are subject to smart routing and so no single alternative could be offered. Each one is however accompanied by a goodish (although far from perfect) price declaration.

I would nominate the Council for a "we saynoto0870 - but we say Yes to You" award, with the proviso that new 03 numbers to supplement or replace the 0845 numbers without alternatives are needed immediately.

derrick wrote on Feb 26^th, 2010 at 12:17pm:

Heroic campaigning efforts are generally only seen in the achievement of the objective. Few of us actually offer direct public thanks to those who pointed out that we were wrong and set us on the right track.

It takes the collective mind of a large organisation a long time to catch up with changes in the world. LCC may well be representing the mistaken understanding of many of those whom it serves in believing that there is still generally a distinct local rate for telephone calls, even though it recognises the fact that mobile charges are different from landlines. It probably thinks that the alternative geo numbers are only for the benefit of mobile callers and for use by those in the same "STD code" area.

I would suggest that with the desired result achieved in respect of many cases safely hatched (even if the reasoning is perhaps unsound) attention should be focused on what appears to be two eggs with shells that bear proper labelling, but show no sign of cracks. Could we see the chicks (alternative 03 numbers) by Easter?

bigjohn wrote on Jan 9^th, 2013 at 6:13pm:

I have joined this posting to the thread that is already running on Lancashire County Council.

It introduced Help Direct three years ago and it uses a 0303 number.

Quote:

Yet it continues with its plethora of 0845 numbers that were introduced (see reply #4 above) because there are 10 STD codes across the County and so not to cause anyone who was calling from further away to have to pay more. It is almost six years since 03 numbers were introduced which are non-geographic (like 0845) and don't cost more from any mode of telephone service but Lancashire County Council does not consider it necessary to change numbers.

It is expected that it will soon have to inform taxpayers that ringing up will incur a 2 pence per minute Service Charge, or else mend its ways.

Is it me or does it seem like the vast majority of 084 number users don't wish to be open about the benefit they derive and that it is only campaigners who want clarity as well as the "neutral" alternative, 03 numbers?

Clearly the public can be forgiven for thinking that this is all deliberate to rip them off.

Some good news they will be switching to 0300 numbers from 0845 by the 1/4/14

See: http://www.lep.co.uk/news/business/call-costs-to-change-1-6345992

derrick wrote on Jan 11^th, 2014 at 9:57am:

What a great idea! They should change all the numbers with just a few days or less notice, with no time to get it mentioned in monthly publications, nor added to bills and reminders, not even notified to council in the end of January meeting.

Surely if there was an evil plan to wring out as much money as possible, they would delay the switch until 12th June 2014, the day before the Consumer Rights Directive legislation hits businesses using 084, 087 and 09 numbers?

Lancashire Evening Post were slow to catch on to the story. Lancashire Telegraph covered it two weeks earlier: http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/10892531.Lancashire_Council_makes_move...

You'll notice they are not changing from 0845 to 0345. They are changing to 0300. It may well be that their contract is expiring, or they are changing supplier.

The decision to change the numbers was made more than a month ago: http://council.lancashire.gov.uk/mgConvert2PDF.aspx?ID=32027 Once it has been discussed by the full council and a publicity timetable agreed, work will commence.

The numbers will be changing in February and March, to be completed by the end of March. It's possible that many of them will change in the first week or two. The timetable will be known in a few weeks time.

Here's an organisation that is making the change and you're still moaning! Why is this not celebrated as another success?

The fact that Lancashire CC is changing their numbers should be used as a tool to beat up Devon CC, Hampshire CC, and many others around the country that show no signs of dropping their 0845 usage. Likewise, Shropshire and Fife took forever to get the job done, but they should now be used as examples of current good practice.

I know of one council that will not be changing their numbers for very many months. They are due to relocate to new buildings, at which point various departments will be re-organised. The number change will happen at the same time as the move.