Slough Borough Council is offering a brand new drop-in service at The Britwell Centre and Library – with the ability to see teams from across the council face-to-face.
Called SBC at The Britwell Hub, the council’s customer service team will have appointments and a drop in service Monday to Friday with special sessions throughout the week for housing tenants including advice and repairs, leaseholders, residents in temporary accommodation and benefits advice.
The project, which is running as a trial, aims to help residents solve issues with council services in one go, without the need for multiple phone calls or emails.
The layout of the centre has also been redone to be more welcoming, with private areas for confidential discussions and a main desk for people to stop and talk to council teams at.
Having council officers regularly in the centre is designed to strengthen the support offered by the Britwell Community Hub that has already been running on a Thursday offering activities, food and friendship in the centre.
The Community Hub is supported by SPINE Primary Care Network and also by Oasis – a national charity which sets up local community hubs to support local people and build stronger communities where everyone is able to contribute, is included and can reach their potential.
The leader of the Britwell Community Hub, which has been running for more than 18 months, is Julie Siddiqi. Every Thursday there are arts and crafts, knitting and crochet and free fitness and strength training classes, run by Sabina Begum.
Julie said: “Seeing the council be more present in the Hub is a great step forward.
“What I love most about the Hub is that it is very much resident led; we are local and know what is needed here and we have worked in partnership with the council to ensure residents are heard.
“I am excited for what's next for the people of Britwell."
Councillor Puja Bedi, deputy leader of the council, said: “The Britwell Centre is truly a community hub with the council’s drop-in service joining the incredible Britwell Hub community group, library and learning spaces, doctors’ surgery, cafe and other community groups which have made the centre their home.
“This service is in Britwell at the moment but will be reviewed with a vision to replicate this community hub model across Slough.
“Everyone is welcome to pop into the Britwell Centre, wherever in the borough they live.”
She added: “This is the best example I have seen of teams working together across the council working, with local services, alongside our excellent voluntary groups, all with the focus of providing a service residents have told us they want and need.”
SBC at The Britwell Hub was launched last week with an opening event with the Britwell Hub staff and members, council staff, staff from the doctors’ surgery and local residents.
There were speeches from The Mayor of Slough, Councillor Siobhan Dauti, the leader of the council, Councillor Dexter Smith, deputy leader of the council, Councillor Puja Bedi, Doctor Nithya Nanda from The Avenue surgery, Executive Director People (Adults), David Coleman-Groom and Hub leader Julie Siddiqi.
One local resident was Sean, who had popped into the centre earlier in the week to sort his library card unaware of the new drop-in service and had been delighted to find he could also sort out his council tax while he was there.
He said: “It was great to see the council staff there. The lady was so welcoming and helpful, and she sorted out my council tax there and then.
“I am a bit of a technophobe, so I didn’t want to try and do it online, but I wasn’t expecting to be able to do in person. It is a wonderful service, and I am so pleased it is here.”
The timetable for the face-to-face service is:
- Customer advisors: Mondays and Tuesdays 9.30am to 5pm, Wednesdays and Thursdays 10am to 5pm, Fridays 9.30am to 4.30pm.
- Housing advice and temporary accommodation – for those in temporary accommodation, on the housing register, or needing information on joining the housing register: Tuesdays 10am to 2pm
- Neighbourhood services – for council tenants: Wednesdays and Thursdays 10am to 2pm
- Leaseholder services – for council leaseholders: Wednesdays 10.30am to 3pm
- Housing repairs: Wednesdays 10am to 12noon
- Debt and welfare advice – including benefits: Thursdays 9.30am to 5pm
Appointments can be made for all housing sessions here: Britwell Hub Appointments