Customer Services Division has worked closely with community focus groups since 2002. Initially, local people were involved with the development and build of local customer service centres. Now, we consult with the Citywide Community Focus Group about face-to-face, phone and electronic contact with the council. We are also setting up a new Virtual Focus Group.
Citywide Community Focus Group
The Citywide Community Focus Group was established in 2007 to look at the services we offer across the city as a whole, rather than in one particular area. We meet about three times a year and a newsletter is sent out inbetween meetings to keep members up to date with progress. It is the forum to discuss the provision of face-to-face, phone and electronic services by the council.
Other items for discussion have included the replacement customer service centre in the East End of the city (which opened in November 2008), and commenting on the existing Civic Centre Customer Service Centre. We try to include topics requested by focus group members such as Parking Services and Neighbourhood Response Teams. We look into suggestions for improvements made by focus group members including other public and voluntary services to be offered from our centres.
Virtual Focus Group
We have found that the traditional Citywide Community Focus Group does not have many members who live their life in the online environment. Whilst we can give information out about electronic services, we cannot obtain points of view from customers already using electronic services.
We have therefore decided to set up a Virtual Focus Group. We aim to contact members of the Virtual Focus Group three times a year by email to ask for input regarding the services we already provide online, transactions people would like to be able to carry out electronically and the council's use of social media such as Facebook and Twitter.
If you would like to take part in this Virtual Focus Group please contact Alison Dyson.
Phone: 0191 277 7590
E-mail: alison.dyson@newcastle.gov.uk
Local Customer Service Centres
Between 2003 and 2008 the city council developed and built a network of 6 customer service centres across the city. Each new customer service centre was developed in consultation with local people, as set out in our Consultation Framework (pdf, 125kb). The purpose of a community focus group is:
West End Centre Community Focus Group
Set up in September 2007, this focus group attracted keen local interest after the first public meeting took place in September 2005. The community focus group met every couple of months or so to receive updates on the build progress and to develop residents' newsletters.
Group members volunteered for many other items of publicity and communication initiatives taking part in promotional photos spreading the word about the new centre. The group made suggestions on the type of services people would like to see operating from the centre when it opened on 17th November 2008. Group members were invited to the official opening of the new centre in February 2009 by local TV news presenter Sharuna Sagar and took part in evaluating the success of the centre in a survey in July 2009.
Gosforth Community Focus Group
This focus group began in January 2006. Members made a commitment of around 18 months to two years to work with us in developing the new customer service centre and library. Meetings were held every six to eight weeks to discuss the progress of the centre build and to develop residents' newsletters.
Group members were interested to hear artist Laura Johnston's ideas for some public artwork made from glass. Laura incorporated ideas from the group in the much admired finished glass panels inside the centre. The centre opened in December 2007 with an official opening ceremony by writer and broadcaster John Grundy shortly afterwards. The group took part in an evaluation survey in July 2008.
Outer West CSC Community Focus Group
Whilst developing the Outer West Customer Service Centre (CSC), consultation with the community began in July 2002, prior to the new building opening in November 2003. A group of up to 25 local people volunteered to take part in the focus group, meeting every six to eight weeks.
Initially, issues discussed included services to be provided from the customer service centre, the look and feel of the public areas inside the CSC, colour schemes and finishes, signage and marketing and publicity of the Centre. Feedback about other items of local interest was also requested and discussions included the library, poll, housing office and a proposed new supermarket on neighbouring land.
The Outer West CSC was Newcastle City Council's first purpose-built local customer service centre and is seen as a flagship for the authority both regionally and nationally. The centre opened in October 2003 and the group continued its involvement in terms of evaluating the success of the centre after the first six months of operation as well as further meetings to review progress and suggest improvements.
East End CSC Community Focus Group
Around 13 people expressed an interest in being part of the community focus group set up whilst developing the East End CSC. From the outset, it was clear that this CSC would be an interim solution, as in the long term there was a need for a permanent facility for the East End of Newcastle.
Even so, the community focus group addressed the issues for discussion with purpose, speaking for many sectors of the local community and tackling challenging local problems such as parking facilities, effects on other council outlets and lack of space in the interim East End CSC.
The group made a valuable contribution during the development phase and after openingin August 2003, the group continued to offer their support through the evaluation of the success of the new centre.
The new permanent East End CSC opened several years later in November 2008.
Kenton Community Focus Group
Set up in September 2005, this focus group attracted keen local interest after the first public meeting took place in January 2005. A substantial number of local people joined the group.
This centre differed from previous CSCs as it was built under a partnership called LIFT - Local Improvement Finance Trust. Included in the new building is a customer service centre, library, Your Homes Newcastle community housing office, Social Services offices, health centre and GP's practice.
A number of 'roadshow events' took place to raise awareness about the Kenton Centre with local people, which offered people the chance to get involved with the community focus group. Members of the group took part in a marketing campaign to promote the centre.
Want to find out more?
If you are interested in finding out about our current community focus groups or if you want to request copies of minutes of the meetings, please contact Alison Dyson.
Phone: 0191 277 7590
E-mail: alison.dyson@newcastle.gov.uk