Essex: Protest at ‘block on talking’ plan (From Gazette)

Essex: Protest at ‘block on talking’ plan

9:20am Monday 3rd March 2008

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A row has broken out over claims the Government is trying to stop local authorities from talking to their customers.

Essex County Council said Whitehall bosses were aiming to make it more difficult for the public to chase up answers from officials, under plans being drawn up to eliminate "unnecessary contact".

But the Department of Communities and Local Government dismissed the allegation as "complete nonsense".

The proposals to cut down on the number of responses councils give to customers making requests are contained in a draft report, leaked by the national Conservative party.

It says councils' success or failure to clamp down on unnecessary conversations with residents should be reflected in performance tables, which help to determine how much decision-making freedom they have.

Sarah Candy, county council portfolio-holder for finance and change management, queried the move, saying residents had the right to be heard.

"Essex County Council prides itself on its efficient ContactEssex service, which provides a central numberfor the public to ring with all their questions and comments," she said.

"To try and reduce the number of calls or the contact we have with our residents could well be detrimental to how satisfied people feel with the services they receive."

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