1    Give everyone a consistent experience
We want clear information, honest timescales and clear responsibility wherever and however you contact us. People should feel listened to and respected, including when we cannot provide the outcome they hoped for.
Our aim: A consistent and respectful experience across the Council.

2    Make it easier to get things resolved
People should not have to keep contacting us just to find out what is happening. We want better updates, fewer unnecessary hand-offs and less need to repeat information.
Our aim: Make it easier to get things resolved and keep people informed.

3    Make online services easy, while keeping support available
Online services should be simple, accessible and convenient where they are suitable. Telephone, face-to-face and assisted support should remain available where people need them.
Our aim: Give people choice and make sure nobody is excluded.

4    Help people earlier and closer to home
A conversation with the Council can sometimes show that someone needs wider help. We want to recognise those opportunities and connect people to the right support, including within neighbourhoods and communities.
Our aim: Help people earlier where we can and connect them to the right support.

5    Use information and feedback to improve services
We want to understand why people contact us, where journeys are difficult and why people need to contact us again. Feedback, complaints and customer information should help us improve.
Our aim: Listen, learn and use what residents tell us to make services better.

6    Work as one Council
People may need help from more than one Council service. Those services should work together rather than expecting residents to navigate different teams and processes themselves.
Our aim: Make the Council feel more joined up from the residents’ point of view.

We are also proposing nine simple pledges. These describe what you should be able to expect when you deal with the Council.

1. Listen and treat you with respect
We will listen carefully, treat people fairly and recognise that people sometimes contact us in difficult circumstances.    
2. Give clear and accurate information
We will use plain language, be honest about what we can and cannot do, and explain decisions clearly.
3. Take ownership
We will try to resolve your enquiry and make the next step clear when somebody else needs to help.    
4. Keep you informed
We will explain what happens next, give realistic timescales and tell you when something changes.
5. Make our services fair and accessible
We will provide support and reasonable adjustments where needed and recognise that people may need to contact us in different ways.    
6. Treat your circumstances with care
We will communicate respectfully and try to avoid making you repeat difficult information unnecessarily.
7. Protect your information
We will use and protect your personal information responsibly.    
8. Put things right and learn
When something goes wrong, we will try to put it right and use feedback, complaints and compliments to improve.
9. Provide a safe and respectful environment
We will treat residents with respect and ask that Council staff and other service users are treated with respect too.