REPORTING A POTHOLE
We are using the Council’s website to log a call about a pothole. It seems like the Council’s app has recently been updated, we will look at this separately. Our conclusion about this system comes at the end of the article.
To start with you need to select ‘report it’ on the Council’s website, you can also ‘request it’ and ‘pay it’.
There is a drop down list of common queries but this is very limited and if you select ‘other services’ you are just referred to a page that has a load of options that are unspecific and could fall under any category.
Some are clear e.g. make a council tax reduction claim but some are not. For example, there is no option to report a pothole. You have to select ‘roads and travel’ and then ‘+more’.
You are then presented with this page…
A ‘highway defect’ is the term they use although not in common parlance! Perhaps it would be easier if this was in plain English?
You are then asked to navigate to the location of the pothole, explain whether it is a danger, how big it is and are offered the option of uploading evidence.
I have used the example of a stretch of road in Somerton that I have logged several times. You need to ensure you submit your request or you may need to start again if you leave the page.
DEALING WITH THE CALL OR NOT?
After submission you receive an e-mail from NCC – MCS (the Council’s software provider) with a case number. It gives a commitment to carry out an inspection in five working days. It states “When we have completed the inspection, we will contact you to let you know what happens next. “ I have submitted at least eight requests regarding potholes and fly tipping over the last few years and have received an update on only one occasion.
As a resident this is my chief frustration with this call logging system. I have no doubt the call is dealt with but Council officers are very busy so cannot always manually update it. Their systems should interact effectively, updating the status of a call and sending an automated e-Mail or app notification based upon integration between front and key back office systems. It would save unnecessary calls to their front office house teams. In addition, it would be very helpful as a resident to know about work plans or programmes within the response e-mail or the page where the calls are logged e.g. for highways, details of resurfacing or roadworks plans or details of outstanding wait times for high volume areas such as Council Tax or Benefits. This would stop chase up requests if you know there is a backlog of work or the initial call in the case of highways. If I knew a road was due to be resurfaced in the next couple of months I would not waste my time logging a call about a pothole.
A well developed online system would allow council residents to log calls easily using terms that can be understood, provide an intuitive online process with quality service information, give status updates on the call by integrating effectively with key back office systems and all but eliminate the need to telephone the Council. There are the elements there to achieve this in the current system but it not there at the moment.