As part of Scottish Borders Council's Customer First modernisation programme, the Contact Centre in Paton Street, Galashiels, is about to undergo some major changes.

It aims to transform the way the Council delivers its direct customer services, and work is due to begin on the first phase of the upgrade on Monday 12 October and is expected to last for five weeks.

The Contact Centre will be refurbished in line with changes already made in Hawick, Duns and Selkirk and at the Council’s headquarters in Newtown St Boswells. All of the Council’s Contact Centres will be changed in this way over the coming months.

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The new layout will have seated serving positions to improve customer comfort and disabled access, improved interview facilities, a computer for the public to use and a more pleasant public waiting area.

During the refurbishment, a normal level of service will be provided from the area which is adjacent to the current Contact Centre.

This is in the same building and temporary signs will be in place to direct customers to this area.

Once this first phase is complete, further development will take place to increase the number of private interview rooms and to transfer the Registration service from its current location in the library building to the Contact Centre in Paton Street.

Councillor Michael Cook, Executive Member for Corporate Improvement, said: "These changes are being very well received by Council customers who have visited the refurbished Contact Centres. We very much hope the people of Galashiels will also appreciate their new look Contact Centre once it is complete.

"I would ask only that members of the public to bear with us while the work takes place and to continue to make use of the Council services within the Paton Street office. We remain open for business."

(GK/BMcC)