Archived press release

Date Published: 18/02/08

The Buckingham Centre is holding a fun day of events to help local residents find out more about its services. A host of activities for the whole family are talking place at the customer information centre in Verney Close during the showcase even...

The Buckingham Centre is holding a fun day of events to help local residents find out more about its services.

A host of activities for the whole family are talking place at the customer information centre in Verney Close during the showcase event on 21 February from 9.30am to 4pm.

There will be the chance to take a tour of the adult learning centre, find out about the wide range of courses on offer, and discuss your learning options with experienced staff.

Visitors will be able to find out more about council services by using the free touch-screen information kiosk and the customer service team will be on hand to answer questions and point people in the right direction.

There will also be a free, fun rhyme time and story session for childen under five years old and a special DVD sale where great films will be available at bargain prices.

Margaret Dewar, Cabinet Member for Community Services at Buckinghamshire County Council, is urging everyone to come along for a fun yet informative day. She said: “The centre really is a mine of information, advice, education and entertainment for local people and is already well used. We want to encourage more people to see what is on offer on their doorsteps.”

The Buckingham Centre brings together a completely refurbished and updated library, a purpose built adult learning centre with three state-of-the-art classrooms, and a customer service centre giving residents access to the full range of services from Buckinghamshire County Council and Aylesbury Vale District Council.

Between Januuary 2007 and January 2008, customer service staff dealt with nearly 5,000 enquiries and 16,000 AVDC cashiering transactions. The specially-trained team handles telephone and face-to-face enquiries on subjects ranging from benefits and council tax to applications for blue badges and bus passes.

Advice surgeries for queries on a wide range of services, such as the Vale of Aylesbury Housing Trust, planning and housing needs, are also available to customers on a regular basis.

Councillor Pam Pearce, Cabinet Member for Community Matters at AVDC, said: “The open day is an exciting opportunity to see what we do for the local community and how to contact us. It can be frustrating to get transferred from pillar to post to get what you want but with the Buckingham Centre there is a one stop shop for both county and district council services.”

Residents can contact the Buckingham Centre by calling 01296 383283 or emailing customerservices@buckscc.gov.uk

For details on the adult learning courses available, visit www.adultlearningbcc.ac.uk or call 0845 0454040.