Picking up on Richard Rate’s letter (Voice August 8), I assume he and South Holland residents are unaware that the council still mainly works from home!
This is just one example of my recent experience.
I attempted to make contact with the council to report a deliberately lit fire by a male youth in the Castle Park on Tuesday, August 9 at 9.40am. This was after members of the public and the fire brigade put it out!
I rang to speak to the person who’s responsible for dealing with these matters at the council but their mobile went to answerphone, so I left a message.
A reply by text came back stating: “I’m not in my office” then referring me to another member of staff.
Their phone also went to voicemail, where I left yet a further message. By 11.30am no one had called me back, bearing in mind this was to report a fire on their park property, which in this climate was like a tinder box.
So I rang the council’s main number, only to hear an automated message: “Due to the large volume of calls there is a long wait time”, etc. I could only wait five minutes and stopped as I was at work.
I rang again at 2.40pm, I actually spoke to a human being, this time requesting to speak to either of these two people, but was informed she’d never heard of them, but would put me through to customer contacts!
I eventually got through, tried, unsuccessfully again, to report this incident, as she replied: “We have no idea who’s in or out of the building, I can only take a message.” I gave up!
I decided to write to the CEO that same day. So far no response from him either. So five calls and one letter in one day all to no avail.
However, three days later I had a call from a member of staff who had been asked to contact me by the CEO!
Maybe someone should tell the council to get back into their offices and do what taxpayers pay them to do.
K Davis
via email
