For the third year in a row, Peterborough City Council's planning services team has achieved a national standard customer service excellence award.

The team is one of just seven planning services departments across the whole country to be awarded the Customer Service Excellence Standard, a recognition given by the Cabinet Office to organisations which have demonstrated a customer-focused culture and the delivery of excellent services to customers.

To achieve the standard, the team had to complete a one-day desktop assessment by the awarding body. Staff, customers and partners of planning services have been involved in the assessment process over the past three years. The standard is valid for three years but is subject to annual accreditation.

There are five elements which must be proved in order to achieve the standard. These are customer insight - identifying customers and working with them in an effective way; organisational culture - cultivating and committing to a customer-focused culture; information and access - providing accurate and comprehensive information through the most appropriate channels; delivery - listening to customers and using feedback to provide the best possible service; and timeliness and quality of service - providing a timely, high quality service.


Of the 57 elements on which the team was assessed, the planning service was found to be fully compliant in all areas. In his report, the assessor recognised the dedication and determination across the team to provide a high quality service to every customer, aiming to understand customers and their needs, and the importance placed on ongoing staff development. The assessor added that customers and partners involved in the assessment confirmed the high quality of service offered.

Planning services is not the first city council team to achieve the standard - it is also held by the customer services department.

Councillor Peter Hiller, Cabinet Member for Housing, Neighbourhoods and Planning for Peterborough City Council, said: "I am delighted that our planning services has won this award for the third year running and confirmed yet again, their status as one of the country’s most professional planning service teams. This is a very reassuring achievement for us and illustrates the work that has gone into providing a service which is efficient, effective and yet flexible to the needs of our customers. Governmental endorsement of this highest standard allows us to continually improve the services we provide and to develop and enhance the customer service skills promoted and practised by our team."

(CD)