TELEPHONE ANSWERING STILL A SHAMBLES

11.6.03

• Over 25% of phone calls to Haringey Council services unanswered, or meet a 'busy' signal in first three months of 2003
• Only 46% of housing services calls answered
• Only 1 out of 7 council services shows improvement between January and March
• 65% of council tenants disillusioned with Haringey Council's phone service

Haringey Council is still failing to serve those who need them most according to Liberal Democrat councillors following the publication of the Council's telephone answering data which shows that over 25% of calls to the Council remain unanswered.

The statistics, published on 10 June in the Council 'Executive' agenda, show the housing service to be the worst offender, only answering between 44-46% of calls over the past three months. More worrying still is the general decline over the first three months of the year with only one service (housing) showing any improvement, albeit slight, from January to March (44% rising to 46%).

Liberal Democrat performance spokesperson Neil Williams is concerned by the figures and by the disillusionment of local residents, with 68% of council tenants claiming it is difficult to get through to the Labour council over the telephone. He is calling for the Council to take urgent steps to ensure that those who are in most need of assistance from the Council can get it, quickly and effectively.

Cllr. Neil Williams (Highgate) comments:

"These are terrible figures. The failure of the Council to provide adequate answering services is effecting quality of life for many residents. The telephone service has been dreadful for over two years, and it seems that while Haringey will no doubt say they are turning the corner, no improvement is made."

Lynne Featherstone, Lib Dem Parliamentary Spokesperson, comments:

"If Haringey really wants to serve its residents, the least the Council can do is perform better at answering the phone. The distress and frustration caused by people who simply cannot get through leaves residents in despair. They must do better."

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