This tells you the standards of service you can expect from us and how to give us feedback on our performance.
Our services
- Committee administration
- Data Protection and Freedom of Information
- Elections
- Electoral registration
- Electoral reviews
- Public consultation
- Reception and telephone switchboard services
Our aims
- To maintain and continue to develop the Council's transparent and accountable decision-making process.
- To ensure compliance with the relevant legislation in retaining information and responding to requests for information.
- To enable those eligible to do so to vote in local, national and European elections.
- To provide a comprehensive service to meet customer and statutory requirements.
- To conduct electoral reviews in accordance with legislation and timetables relating to specific projects.
- To provide responsive and customer focussed communication with the public including customer surveys, public information campaigns, managing the citizens panel and arranging focus groups.
- To provde an efficient and responsive front line service.
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
Committee administration
We will:
- Publish and update monthly a calendar of all forthcoming scheduled public meetings.
- Advertise all public meetings, once agendas are published, at our offices and on our website.
- Publish agendas within statutory timescales and make them available both on our website and in paper form on request .
- Provide for Public Question Time at every Council and Cabinet meeting.
Freedom of Information
We will:
- Co-ordinate the direction of Freedom of Information requests to the relevant departments to ensure response times meet statutory requirements.
- Maintain and regularly update a Publications Scheme which sets out all of our published information.
Elections
We will:
- Conduct European, Parliamentary, County, District, Town and Parish Council elections in accordannce with the relevant legislation and the approved scales of costs.
- Provide information for all potential candidates for our Council elections.
Electioral Registriation
We will:
- Keep up to date versions of the full and edited versions of the electoral register.
- Undertake the annual canvass to bring the electoral register up to date.
Public consultation
We will:
- Produce and distribute District Link four times a year to all 43,000 homes in the.
What do you think?
We are always looking for ways to improve our services and are keen to hear our customers' views. Please contact:
Head of Democratic Services
Lewes District Council
Lewes House
32 High Street Lewes
BN7 2LX
Tel: 01273 471600
Fax: 01273 484146
E-mail: lewesdc@lewes.gov.uk
Democratic Services webpages: www.lewes.gov.uk/council/9892.asp
Other formats
This leaflet is also available in large print format, on audio tape or disk or in another language upon request. Contact us on 01273 484141 or email lewesdc@lewes.gov.uk
Videos