Todmorden News

Advice Centre Open Over Christmas Holidays

People in Todmorden will be able to get face to face advice on Council services between Christmas and New Year. For the first time, Calderdale Council is opening Todmorden Customer First office on Monday December 29th, Tuesday December 30th and Wednesday December 31st. The service will be based at Todmorden Library instead of the usual location of Todmorden Community College, from 10am to 1pm.

Staff were asked if they would be willing to work on a voluntary basis in order to keep the office open, and will be on hand to answer queries and give advice on a wide range of Council services and issues.

The Customer First office at Todmorden Community College will remain closed on Thursday 25, Friday 26 December 2008 and Thursday 1 January 2009, reopening at 9am Friday 2 January.

The extra opening is part of a wider drive to keep Council offices open over the Christmas holiday period this year to ensure services continue to be provided to residents and visitors. Many of Calderdale’s libraries and leisure facilities will be open, along with the Benefits Assessments Unit in Halifax town centre, the Adult Social Care office at Park Road and a range of services at Northgate House.

The Council’s telephone contact centre will be open until 5.30pm on 24th December. It then opens from 9am to 5pm between Monday 29th and Wednesday 31st December 2008. The contact centre is closed on New Year ’s Day and re-opens as normal at 8:45am on Friday 2nd January 2009. Customers can call the Contact Centre on 0845 245 6000 with any general queries, or to check if a service is available before making a special trip. For further information and details of opening times please visit www.calderdale.gov.uk

In the event of an emergency outside these hours, people can contact the Council’s out of hours Emergency help line on 01422 365101.

Councillor Ian Cooper, community services portfolio holder, said:-

“We are delighted to announce that Todmorden Customer First will be open between Christmas and New Year, thanks to staff who have volunteered to work those days. Like many organisations we are responding to the rising expectations of customers and keeping as many services open as we can over the festive season. We are also particularly conscious of the difficulty that many may be suffering as a consequence of the current economic climate, and are pleased to be able to offer an extra advice and support service to our customers at this time.”