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Changes to Government Office reception 7 June 2012 Refurbishment of the entrance to Government Office on Buck’s Road, Douglas, is underway. Two reception staff are being transferred permanently to the Welcome Centre at the Sea Terminal and from 13 June 2012 new signage will direct visitors to the remaining public counters within the building. These are the Passport, Immigration and Nationality Office on the ground floor, the Income Tax Office on the second floor and the Chief Secretary’s Office on the third floor. The removal of the ground floor reception desk is part of the drive to streamline and simplify how Government services are delivered to the public under the banner of the Transforming Government Customer First project, which is managed by the Department of Community, Culture and Leisure. Department Minister Hon Tim Crookall MHK said: ‘These improvements will make it easier for customers of Government to access services. By working smarter we are able to improve service whilst delivering value for money to taxpayers.’ No posts will be lost as part of the changes although a small saving will be made in the cancellation of the contract of a temporary staff member providing holiday and sickness cover that will no longer be required. Refurbishment of the entrance of Government Office is ongoing and will include the installation of a disabled visitors’ meeting room. Justine Gale, Project Lead for Customer First, explained: ‘At present there are more than 40 public counters in the various Government premises in Douglas alone. Three counters remain in Government Office on Buck’s Road and signage will enable visitors to find the services they require on entering the building. ‘The majority of enquiries dealt with by the receptionists were by phone. The role of the two full time reception staff will widen as they become members of the team at the Welcome Centre. As well as answering phone enquiries, the staff there provide tourist information and sell tickets on behalf of the Department’s Public Transport and Leisure divisions.’ The general enquiry number for Government remains unchanged – tel: 685685. Customer First, part of the Transforming Government initiative, is driving forward changes to how Government delivers customer services. The aim is to bring together all services provided by the Government under one umbrella – focusing on the customer and designing services around their needs. The ultimate objective is to improve the service for customers while reducing waste, increasing efficiency and saving taxpayers’ money. More stories >>>
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