Future operating model confirmed for Council’s Customer Services team

Today South Ayrshire Councillors agreed the future operating model of the council’s Customer Services team.

Councillors considered a number of options for the delivery of the service and agreed that it should be accessible to customers by phone, digitally and face-to-face by appointment.

The service will therefore be available to customers in the following ways:

By phone – customers can call us on 0300 123 0900

Monday – Thursday 09.00 – 16.45

Friday – 09.00 – 16.00

Digitally –  https://www.south-ayrshire.gov.uk/contact-us

By email – Customer.Services@south-ayrshire.gov.uk

Face-to-face by appointment as follows:

• The Wallace Tower, Ayr – Tuesdays -Thursdays 09.00 – 16.45 and Fridays – 09.00 – 16.00
• Troon Municipal Buildings – Tuesdays 09.00 – 16.45
• 2-6 The Cross, Prestwick  – Wednesdays 09.00 – 16.45
• Carrick Opportunities Centre, Girvan -Thursdays  09.00 – 16.45
• 70c High Street, Maybole – Fridays-  09.00 – 16.00

South Ayrshire Council’s Portfolio Holder for Buildings, Housing and Environment, Councillor Martin Kilbride, said: “The Customer Services team handle around 200,000 customer enquiries a year and we always put customers at the heart of the way we deliver the service.

“Our model of delivery for customer services has changed and evolved over the years in line with customer trends. In recent years these trends had been shifting towards contacting us by phone and this was accelerated by the Covid pandemic.

“While 90% of customers now choose to contact us by phone, we want to make sure that face-to-face services are available for those who need them. We have trialled our face-to-face appointment service over the last 12 months and it has worked well. We will continue to monitor customer trends and satisfaction with the service.”

Ayrshire Independent Living Network (AILN) regarding learning courses that are available. 

AILN in partnership with The Skills Network are delighted to offer anyone who fits the criteria below, the opportunity to complete  distance learning courses at no cost to the participant, thanks to the Scottish Funding Council and in partnership with West College Scotland and North East Scotland College.  The Skills Network have created an AILN Micro site and we have focused the learning around Health and social care.

These courses are all delivered via distance learning, to fit around peoples schedules, allowing people to study at a time that suits them. Learners can do up to 7 courses per year providing they are completed 1 by 1 and meet the criteria below.

• 16+ as of 31 August 2022
• Lived in the EU for 3+ years
• Not in full time education
• Not currently enrolled on any equivalent courses.
• Not completed the same course previously

Anyone can check out the courses and register via the link below, any problems or additional questions, people can contact me and we will be having virtual information sessions soon:

https://ailn.theskillsnetwork.com/

Scottish Youth Parliament Elections

What is it?

Register to become a South Ayrshire Candidate for the Scottish Youth Parliament, open to young people aged 14 – 25 years. What’s involved/what’s the stages?Young people apply online, they then become a candidate and take part in training, create a profile/manifesto and campaign – support is provided throughout. Elections take place in November 2023, where local young people aged 12-25 years vote online for their preferred candidate and announcement event will take placeOnce elected young people are MSYP’s for 2 years and take part in a range of national and local campaigns and take part in 3 sittings per year, sittings are all paid for and are various locations across Scotland. There are also opportunities to work closely with MSYP’s from North and East Ayrshire and Dumfries and Galloway.  Why get involved?Have your voice heard on issues that matter most to you, represent South Ayrshire at the Scottish Youth Parliament, learn new skills and attend sittings across Scotland and meet new people. Gain new experiences, be part of key decisions and part of change. How do you I register?Online, by end of July

:https://syp.org.uk/get-involved/elections/

Please pass this onto any young people who may be interested.

The National Care Service: Summer 2023 co-design events

This summer, the Scottish Government is hosting a number of regional forums as part of the development of the National Care Service.  These will be held across Scotland between June to August and will allow people with lived experience to have their say.  There will also be online events running for those who cannot attend in person.  For further information please click link above.

We are delighted to let you know that the reinstallation of the canopies at Troon station is about to get underway.

From 00:01hrs on Monday 26 June the carpark adjacent to platform 1 will be fully closed to vehicles for the duration of the project to allow for hoarding to be erected and a works compound created.

Ahead of work to construct the new the station building, the replacement platform canopies, destroyed in the 2021 fire will be assembled and installed.

This will begin on Saturday July 1 between 23:00 and 07:00 and will continue for 15 weeks on Saturday nightshifts and on weekdays between 08:00 and 18:00.

We have informed the properties closest to the station, via the attached letter, that they may also be inconvenienced by the overnight work and would like to thank them in advance for their patience.

Troon Neighbour Notification Letter – hoarding and canopies FINAL (1)

A project ran in Girvan and South Carrick locality to give residents the tools required to become a mentally healthy community.  The project resulted in the development of an action plan (see attached) as well as the creation of a ‘Mentally Healthy Communities’ toolkit.

A pilot is now being planned to evaluate the use of the toolkit with community members.  Once this is completed, the toolkit will be rolled out for use across South Ayrshire.

MHC project leaflet MHC Girvan and South Carrick Action Plan v2 Final

MHC Girvan and South Carrick Action Plan v2 Final

2023 Active Communities Summer Programme V1.1 (2)

Scottish Youth Parliament Elections

What is it? Register to become a South Ayrshire Candidate for the Scottish Youth Parliament, open to young people aged 14 – 25 years. What’s involved/what’s the stages? Young people apply online, they then become a candidate and take part in training, create a profile/manifesto and campaign – support is provided throughout. Elections take place in November 2023, where local young people aged 12-25 years vote online for their preferred candidate and announcement event will take place.

Once elected young people are MSYP’s for 2 years and take part in a range of national and local campaigns and take part in 3 sittings per year . Sittings are all paid for and are various locations across Scotland. There are also opportunities to work closely with MSYP’s from North and East Ayrshire and Dumfries and Galloway.  Why get involved? Have your voice heard on issues that matter most to you, represent South Ayrshire at the Scottish Youth Parliament, learn new skills and attend sittings across Scotland and meet new people. Gain new experiences. Be part of key decisions and part of change.

How do you I register ?

Online, by end of July :https://syp.org.uk/get-involved/elections/

Please pass this on to any young people who may be interested.