CUSTOMER SERVICE
Policy and Performance
This team is responsible for planning the future of the district including land use planning and housing in accordance with the principles of sustainable development. This includes preparing the Local Development Framework (LDF), to guide development in that part of the district outside the Yorkshire Dales National Park and to provide strong links as a delivery mechanism for the Community Strategy
The team is also responsible for coordinating the Council's strategic response to the planned expansion of Catterick Garrison, the UK's largest army base and its integration into the wider community of Richmondshire. The LDF consists of a series of individual policy and advisory documents. The Local Development Scheme is the project plan for preparing the LDF until December 2007. The Statement of Community Involvement explains how the Council will engage our communities in planning for the future.
The Housing Strategy and Affordable Housing Strategy guide the Council and its partners' work to ensure housing needs including affordable housing needs, in both public and private sectors are being met across the district, taking into account of national, regional and sub regional issues.
The Council's Sustainable Development Strategy 2005-2010 (pdf 1.38MB) and its action plan (Word 460KB) set out how the Council and its partners are working to achieve the sustainable development of the district. We have also worked with our partnerships to prepare a Biodiversity Action Plan to protect and enhance the biodiversity of the district.
Information Management is also provided by this team. This includes management of our corporate Geographical Information System and upkeep of the Local Land and Property Gazetteer, as well as providing advice and guidance to the Council for compliance with the Freedom of Information Act 2000, Data Protection Act 1998 and related legislation. The team also provides some advice to officers on improving records management across the authority.
Performance Management (information to follow)
Customer Services
This team focuses on delivering front office services to external customers and internal administration services to the Council. To achieve this, it is split into two sections; Customer Services and Administration Services teams.
The Customer Services team provides services direct to the public. Located in each of our 5 Community Offices in Richmond, Colburn, Hawes, Leyburn and Reeth, the Team is, in the main, the first point of contact someone has with the Council and plays an important role in portraying a positive image, and ensuring customers receive excellent, responsive services.
We also have Information Points in Catterick Village (A1 Works) and on Catterick Garrison (the HIVE).
The Administration service is responsible for providing crucial administrative support, and areas of more specialised support, to the Council. Areas of support typically provided by this team include:
· Postal Services (receipt, log, sort and distribution etc)
· Document Management (word processing, filing, photocopying, invoices etc)
· Data Input and Management (logging on and off, sickness, training records etc)
· General Administration (ordering stationery, receive calls, arrange meetings etc)
· Services to External Customers (dealing with telephone enquiries etc)
Economic Development and Tourism
The Economic Development Service is a specialised service which promotes and develops employment sites and premises, business grants and loans, inward investment and external funding support. The associated managed workspace facility on Colburn Business Park is managed independently. The service also develops and delivers externally funded economic and community initiatives and the administers the European and Yorkshire Forward funding programme throughout the district.
The Tourism Service delivers two Tourist Information Centres at Richmond and Leyburn and, in partnership with neighbouring authorities as part of the Yorkshire Dales Area Tourism Partnership, develops, manages and markets the Yorkshire Dales as a visitor destination. The Tourism team also works within Richmondshire with industry partners to raise the District's profile within the Yorkshire Dales region.
Technology
The Technology team is responsible for providing support to all Council services and individual IT users across the Council. Specifically, this relates to the management of the Council's ICT infrastructure, ensuring systems are available; ensuring the security of ICT systems and the information held on them; management and delivery of the Council's IT Capital Programme; providing advice and resolving problems for users, particularly through the IT Service desk; advising officers on ICT solutions and management of the Council's telephone and e-mail systems.
Communications
The Communications team is tasked with raising the profile of the Council and providing residents with news and information about what the Council does and the services provided.
The team supports our commitment to better community engagement and communications, in a variety of different ways.
This includes issuing press releases, producing publications such as leaflets, brochures, newsletters and the Council's newspaper, "The Curlew". The team also maintains and manages this website, and undertakes consultation work to ensure the views of residents are always heard. Part of this includes the co-ordination of the Local Strategic Partnership's Viewfinder Panel.
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Last updated:
07 March 2008
