Archived press release

Date Published: 15/12/06

AVDC and Buckinghamshire County Council have joined forces to improve their customer service. The district council’s area office in Cornwall Place, Buckingham, will be relocating to a new building in the heart of the town centre, where resi...

AVDC and Buckinghamshire County Council have joined forces to improve their customer service.

The district council’s area office in Cornwall Place, Buckingham, will be relocating to a new building in the heart of the town centre, where residents will have the opportunity to access both county and district services under the same roof.

The Buckingham Centre in Verney Close opens its doors on 9 January 2007 and promises to offer a more efficient, cost-effective and customer-focused service.

Customers will be able to get information on county council services, such as highways, transport, education, social services and registrar issues, as well as district council services including housing, planning and refuse collection.

Staff at the customer service point are being trained so they will be able to answer questions about both county and district council services.

The centre will also provide a refurbished library and a purpose-built adult learning centre. The adult learning venue, funded by the Learning and Skills Council, will offer a wide variety of courses in four state-of-the-art classrooms.

Councillor David Shakespeare, Leader of Buckinghamshire County Council, said: “The Buckingham Centre is a fantastic new facility. Bringing services from both county and district councils under one roof will make life much easier for local people.”

Councillor Pam Pearce, AVDC Cabinet Member for Community Matters, said: “AVDC’s existing area office has provided a valuable service to the local community for many years. We know how much it is appreciated by its customers – many of whom visit every week. Joining up with the county council to provide an even better service is an excellent step forward and I’m sure that the new centre will become a real focal point in the town.” 

The district council’s existing area office in Cornwall Place will close on Friday 29 December and all its services, including weekly housing and planning surgeries, will be transferred to the Verney Close site. Opening times will be as follows:

Opening times for the new Buckingham Centre

Customer service point	Tuesday and Thursday: 9.30am – 5pm; Friday: 9.30am – 4.45pm
Library	Tuesday and Friday: 9.30am – 7.30pm; Wednesday and Thursday: 9.30am – 5pm; Saturday: 9.30am – 1pm
Adult Learning Centre	Tuesday – Friday – 10am – 3pm; Monday evening: 7pm – 10pm; Tuesday evening: 7pm – 10pm; Thursday evening: 7pm – 10pm

Residents can call the Buckingham Centre by ringing the main switchboard number: 01296 585858. For details on the adult learning courses available visit www.adultlearningbcc.ac.uk or call 0845 0454040.