Council to close customer service counters early on 21 November

16 November 2006

The Christchurch City Council will close most of its customer service counters at 3pm on Tuesday 21 November 2006 for a short staff function.

• The customer service counter at the Civic Offices on Tuam Street will remain open until 5 pm.
• Libraries will remain open for the duration of their normal business hours.
• The building and planning staff will maintain a minimal presence from 3-5pm at Linwood and Sockburn to process applications and accept related cheque payments only - no cash or EFTPOS transactions will be available. Receipts will be posted for all cheque payments made from 3-5pm on that day.

The staff function relates to the most noteworthy recognition the Council has received in recent years, the 2006 Performance Excellence Study Award (PESA) for the Local Government Sector. One of the Council’s goals as an organisation has been to celebrate its successes. Senior leadership has set aside one hour for the staff function from 3.30-4.30pm to thank staff for their contribution to the PESA win.

The Council’s PESA is significant for two major reasons: it is exceptional for a first-time applicant to receive an award, and just as remarkable that the organisation as a whole was recognised. Very often, only a single unit of a large corporation might win.

For the residents of Christchurch, this award means that their Council is on the right track to perform at the rigorous international standards of business best practice. It means the Council will continue to measure itself against other New Zealand organisations as well as against international criteria that is reviewed and made more exacting every year. It also means the Council operates in a culture of constant improvement.

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