Residents may not be able to drop in to South Ayrshire Council offices any time in the near future.
Instead, they would have to arrange appointments for benefits, customer services and housing, for at least the next year should councillors approve the move.
It has also been revealed that almost three-quarters of the South Ayrshire Council workforce will return to pre-covid work routines.
The proposal will be outlined on the ‘future operational model’ at a special meeting of South Ayrshire Council today.
An assessment of 3,837 council posts was followed by a number of proposals, including:
- reintroduction of appointment only face to face services using a triaged appointment-based system.
- ‘Public facing’ offices in main towns
- Pre-covid working for 74 percent of employees
- Some homeworking for majority of other employees.
- Office space redesigned to focus on hot desking
The report says that there would be no additional payments to cover additional costs incurred by staff, pointing to other parts of the public and private sector.
With energy prices continuing to skyrocket, the report states: “Whilst it is recognised that energy costs may increase for employees working fully or partly from home, other costs associated with working in an office would be removed, such as travel and transport costs.
“This approach is consistent with our neighbouring authorities.”
The report goes into more detail on the plans for customer services.
“The pandemic has significantly shifted customer trends, as Covid restrictions required customers to carry out enquiries by phone or online.
“During the pandemic, services have introduced new ways for customers to access them. But council accept that some customers need ‘in person’ support.
“It is proposed that customers be encouraged to carry out their enquiries by phone or online, but that a triaged, face to face appointment system be introduced for customers who have barriers to using phone or digital options.
“Face to face appointments would be available from Thriving Communities centres in each of the five main towns.
“Customers would also be able to make an enquiry at their local library or leisure centre and a customer services team member would contact them to arrange a suitable way of dealing with their enquiry e.g. a phone or face to face appointment.”
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