Northamptonshire County Council reduces customer service, closes archive service and stops adult learning due to coronavirus

Calls may take longer to be answered by Northamptonshire County Council due to the national emergency.
The county council has had to reduce or stop some services.The county council has had to reduce or stop some services.
The county council has had to reduce or stop some services.

Northamptonshire’s largest council has reduced its customer service levels in the midst of the coronavirus outbreak.

The county council, which has responsibility for leading the county’s emergency planning response, has put a message on its website today to say it has a reduced workforce and has said calls may take longer to get answered.

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It says: “As a precautionary measure against and to support the containment phase of the coronavirus outbreak, the Customer Service Centre currently has a reduced workforce.

“As a consequence you may be waiting longer than usual for your call to be answered. If your call is not urgent please use our website to access our services or alternatively email us on [email protected].”

It is unclear whether the reduced staffing levels are because of staff self isolating.

The website also says that from 5pm yesterday (March 18) the Northamptonshire Archives and Heritage Service, based at the Record Office, Wootton Hall Park, Northampton, close until further notice.

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All adult learning courses for the spring have closed although at the moment summer bookings are still stand.

Open evenings for foster and adoption services are also temporarily suspended and all library events have been cancelled.

It is understood that at this afternoon's full council meeting at county hall that leader Matt Golby and chief executive Theresa Grant may give an update on what actions the authority has taken and the plans in place.

The council is the lead on emergency planning and part of the local resilience forum.