Issue - meetings

The Board received a presentation from the Head of Customer Service on the subject of the telephony problems that had been experienced by Bromsgrove District Council’s Customer Service Centre in October 2012 (Appendix A).

Members also discussed the following issues in detail:

·                The cause of the telephony problems which occurred in October 2012 had never been identified.  The potential to identify the problem had been complicated by the fact that multiple organisations were involved with the system including: Bromsgrove District Council, Worcestershire County Council, British Telecom and Vodaphone.

·                The Cisco Voice telephone system technology utilised by Bromsgrove District Council was 13 years old.  This aging equipment, which underpinned the Worcestershire Hub Service in the district, would need to be updated at a future date.

·                Officers had originally been advised that in the event of telephony problems, it would be relatively easy to achieve a switchover to a system utilised by another partner in the Worcestershire Hub.  Unfortunately, the temporary switchover to Redditch Borough Council’s system had not been straight forward and the Council had required assistance from British Telecom.

·                The Council’s risk management procedures and Business Continuity Plan had worked well and enabled Officers to continue to provide a service to local customers.

·                Further problems with the telephony system had been experienced in March 2013.  The Council had learned from previous difficulties and had resolved the problem quickly.

RESOLVED:

(a)       that Community Service Centre staff working at Bromsgrove District Council and Redditch Borough Council be thanked for their response to the problems with the telephony system and for the service they provided during that period; and

(b)       that the report be noted.