Improving access to council services – right in the heart of our communities
Four more council libraries are now equipped to support residents who need face-to-face support with access to council services.
In addition to the library sites that already offer face to face appointments to support customers with complex enquiries, library staff at Norris Green, Allerton, Parklands and Garston libraries, can now help and support residents to:
- report an issue online
- request a council service
- make a payment
- upload documents and evidence
This means that residents who may be digitally excluded, lack confidence online, or simply need some extra support can still access the services they need – with help from a friendly, trained library member of staff.
An interview pod at Garston Library
We’ve also expanded the support available by introducing telephone appointments, giving residents more choice in how and when they access council services from the comfort of their home.
For residents with more complex enquiries, we’ve listened to feedback and made improvements to the library sites that offer booked face to face appointments. These libraries now have private interview spaces, including confidential pods, so people can discuss their situation in a setting that feels safe and private, exactly what residents have told us they want.
Councillor Ruth Bennett, Cabinet Member for Transformation, said: “These improvements are about making services easier to access, more inclusive, and more responsive to local needs with a ‘no wrong front door’ ethos, and using our libraries as welcoming community hubs where people can get the right support, in the right way.”