Our proposed alternatives – accessing our services in Dunstable consultation
Consultation closed: 22 August 2022
Consultation opened: 28 June 2022
The services that have used Watling House in the past are customer services, housing, tax and benefits, adults and children’s social care and registrations.
Below we have explained what the need is, along with our proposed alternative for each service.
Customer services
Access need:
- customers that need an in-person meeting
- customer service points for customers that do not have access to their own equipment or require assistance accessing online services
Proposed alternative:
- use meeting rooms in public buildings in the south of Central Bedfordshire; there are meeting rooms available at the Dunstable Centre, the Grove Theatre and at the libraries in Houghton Regis and Leighton Buzzard
- install one wheelchair-accessible pod in the Dunstable Centre; the pod will contain a computer or iPad set up for customers to access online services, and a phone to provide direct access to customer services in case assistance is required
- if more pods are required to satisfy demand, an additional pod could be installed in other public buildings
Housing
Access need:
- meeting rooms for necessary in-person meetings
- customer service points for customers that do not have access to their own equipment or require assistance accessing online services
- document verification and submission to the Housing team
- posting documents
- issue, store, and return housing stock keys
Proposed alternative:
- use meeting rooms in public buildings in the south of Central Bedfordshire; there are meeting rooms available at the Dunstable Centre, the Grove Theatre and at the libraries in Houghton Regis and Leighton Buzzard
- install one wheelchair-accessible pod in the Dunstable Centre; the pod will contain a computer or iPad set up for customers to access online services, and a phone to provide direct access to customer services in case assistance is required
- if more pods are required to satisfy demand, an additional pod could be installed in other public buildings
- the Housing team already use online solutions for the verification and submission of documents, and this will continue; this online solution will be used to further reduce the need to post mail
- keys will be issued from and returned to Franklin House (Brewers Hill Road, Dunstable)
Tax and benefits
Access need:
- meeting rooms for necessary in-person meetings
- customer service points for customers that do not have access to their own equipment or require assistance accessing online services
- document verification and submission to the Revenues and Benefits Team
- posting documents
Proposed alternative:
- use meeting rooms in public buildings in the south of Central Bedfordshire; there are meeting rooms available at the Dunstable Centre, the Grove Theatre and at the libraries in Houghton Regis and Leighton Buzzard (there will also be bookable meeting rooms in the Grove View Integrated Health and Care Hub in Dunstable when it opens)
- install one wheelchair-accessible pod in the Dunstable Centre; the pod will contain a computer or iPad set up for customers to access online services, and a phone to provide direct access to customer services in case assistance is required
- if more pods are required to satisfy demand, an additional pod could be installed in other public buildings
- we are currently working on an online solution for the verification and submission of documents; once received, the Revenues and Benefits Team will verify the authenticity of the documentation and process
- the post is already delivered to Priory House and is sorted and distributed from there
Children’s services
Access need:
- meeting rooms for necessary in-person meetings
Proposed alternative:
- use meeting rooms in public buildings in the south of Central Bedfordshire; there are meeting rooms available at the Dunstable Centre, the Grove Theatre and at the libraries in Houghton Regis and Leighton Buzzard (there will also be bookable meeting rooms in the Grove View Integrated Health and Care Hub in Dunstable when it opens)
Social care
Access need:
- meeting rooms for necessary in-person meetings
Proposed alternative:
- use meeting rooms in public buildings in the south of Central Bedfordshire; there are meeting rooms available at the Dunstable Centre, the Grove Theatre and at the libraries in Houghton Regis and Leighton Buzzard (there will also be bookable meeting rooms in the Grove View Integrated Health and Care Hub in Dunstable when it opens)
Registrations
Access need:
- office space in the Dunstable area for our staff and to do registrations
Proposed alternative:
- registration will be available from the Grove View Integrated Health and Care Hub on a Monday and Wednesday, which would be in addition to the registrar’s service provided from Leighton Buzzard Library on a Tuesday and Thursday.
- meetings will continue to be by appointment