This tells you what standards of service you can expect from us and how to give us feedback on our performance.
Our aims
- To consult and work in partnership with local communities to identify their needs.
- To provide a range of facilities and services which meet the needs of local people and visitors.
- To ensure our facilities and public areas are clean, safe, well-maintained and accessible to all.
- To work with the Police and local communities to reduce crime and anti-social behaviour.
- To encourage people of all ages to participate in sport, recreation and cultural activity.
Our services
- Allotments and local amenities such as life belts, safety fences and signage
- Dealing with anti-social behaviour
- Art galleries (hire and maintenance)
- Car parks
- Cemeteries
- Children's play areas
- Clean and Green Team
- Community sports
- Funding advice
- Parks, open spaces and nature reserves
- Public conveniences
- Southover Grange Public Hall (hire and maintenance)
Our commitment to customers
- To provide good value, efficient and effective services to all our customers.
- To provide services that everyone can use and ensure our buildings and information are as accessible as possible.
- To ensure our premises are clean, confortable, smoke-free and well signposted.
- To treat everyone fairly and respect their privacy.
- To be open, honest and accountable for our actions.
- To consult and listen to our customers.
- To strive for continuous improvement in our services and processes.
General standards
Our staff will:
- Be helpful, polite and professional when dealing with customers.
- Wear name badges when dealing with customers.
- Provide a private interview room if requested.
- Arrange a convenient date and time for meetings or appointments.
- Show an official identity badge without being asked if they need to make a home visit.
- Try to deal with your enquiry or complaint straight away. If the person you need to speak to is not there, they will contact you as soon as possible.
- Answer the phone within 20 seconds and return phone messages within 1 working day.
- When we need to use answer phones, messages will be checked regularly.
- Answer your letter, fax or email within 7 working days using plain English and avoiding jargon. If the response is likely to take longer an acknowledgement will be sent confirming when you can expect a reply.
- Respond to Freedom of Information requests within 20 working days.
- Apologise if we are at fault and do their best to put things right. Complaints referred to the head of service will be dealt with in 20 working days.
Our information will be:
- Clear, up to date and accurate
- Available in a range of formats and languages on request
Allotments and amenities
We will:
- Reallocate vacant plots within 5 working days, subject to demand
- Inspect all amenity facilities on a weekly basis
- Undetake all repairs or replacements within 48 hours of any report
Anti-social behaviour
We will:
- Undertake initial investigation of all reported anti-social behaviour incidents within 24 hours
- Offer a referral or a response to those who report incidents (including details of proposed action) within 7 working days
Art galleries
We will:
- Maintain the galleries to a high standard of decoration and cleanliness
- Respond to all booking enquiries within 48 hours
Car parks
We will:
- Inspect every car park for cleanliness and maintenance on a weekly basis
- Respond to all reported incidents within 24 hours
Cemeteries
We will:
- Rerspond to all burial requests with utmost courtesy and sympathy.
- Respond to all enquiruies within 24 hours
Children’s play areas
We will:
- Maintain all children's play equipment to national safety standards
- Inspect all play areas once a week
- Respond to reports of damamge within 24 hours
Clean and Green Team
We will:
- Inspect all vehicles reported as abandoned or a nuisance within 24 hours
- Remove all abandoned vehicles within 48 hours of obtaining the legal power to do so
- Respond to all reported problems within 24 hours and resolve them within 48 hours
- Remove all offensive graffiti on the same day it is reported to us
- Empty every litter/dog bin at least once a week
- Respond to missed/overflowing bins within 24 hours
- Repair or replace damaged bins within 72 hours
- Take legal action against any identified fly-tipping offender
Community sports
We will:
- Maintain sports facilities to governing body/league standards (in consultation with local clubs)
- Inspect pitches weekly during the playing season
- Ensure sports coaches are trained to governing body standards
- Ensure our staff undergo police checks and are trained to be responsible for children and vulnerable adults
Funding advice
We will:
Parks, open spaces and nature reserves
We will:
- Inspect every site at least once a week
- Respond to any reported incident within 24 hours
- respond immediately to any incident that has a health and safety implication
Public toilets
We will:
- Maintain all facilities in good condition
- Respond to all reports of damage or breakdowns within 24 hours
- Inspect every public toilet on a random basis at least once a week
- Ensure our contractors clean all public toilets at least once a day
Southover Grange Public Hall
We will:
- Respond to all requests for information or bookings within 24 hours
What do you think?
We are always looking for ways to improve our services and are keen to hear our customers’ views. Please contact:
Community Services
Southover House, Southover Road
Lewes
BN7 1AB
Tel: 01273 484393
Fax: 01273 484488
E-mail: customer.services@lewes.gov.uk
Community Services webpages: www.lewes.gov.uk/council/9895.asp
Would you like this information in another format?
This information can be made available in printed format, large print, on audio tape or disk or in another language upon request. Please contact us on 01273 484141 or email: lewesdc@lewes.gov.uk
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