Council agrees new Customer Access Strategy

Last night Folkestone and Hythe District Council agreed a new Customer Access Strategy for 2026-2029. The strategy, which marks a move from digital by default to digital by choice when it comes to accessing council services, was proposed by Gary Fuller. Speaking at the meeting, he said:

"Thank you, Chair. I’m pleased to present the new Customer Access Strategy to the Council. Serving residents is fundamental to our role as a council, so it’s vital that we have the right strategy to support people to access the services we offer, and I’d like to thank every officer involved in supporting our residents and in developing this strategy.

The strategy outlines the Council's approach to ensuring everyone can access services in a way that suits them best, with a focus on digital by choice, inclusivity, and continuous improvement.

Our previous Customer Access Strategy took a 'digital by default' approach, which turned out to be important during the COVID pandemic. We saw significant improvements to our digital offering, with the introduction of hundreds of online forms and an impressive My Account take up of over 81%. I was really pleased when we successfully reached the 80% target, which I believe makes us an exemplar, and I commend the hard work of officers in achieving it.

However, the cost-of-living crisis and housing pressures have significantly increased the number of residents who need more personalised and in-depth support. It’s become clear that there’s a real need for alternative ways for residents to get the support they require, including those who are unable to engage with us digitally.

To address these evolving needs, this strategy places emphasises three key areas:

• Supporting Our Customers: We’re strengthening our multi-channel approach to ensure services are flexible, tailored, and accessible via telephone, face-to-face, and assisted digital routes.
• Inclusivity and Accessibility: We’re committed to ensuring all residents, including those with disabilities, language barriers, or limited digital literacy, can access services in ways that suits them. A simple example of where we’re going with this is the move to producing easy read versions of various documents.
• Enhancing Digital Services: We’ll continue to make improvements based on feedback, such as app functionality and real-time updates, something I’m particularly keen to see. We’re also exploring AI search and chat, though it’s early days for these.

Ultimately, this strategy builds upon our existing strengths, such as our excellent My Account take up, while reaffirming our commitment to a multi-channel approach, ensuring our residents receive comprehensive help irrespective of their level of need, or chosen method of getting support.

I therefore ask that the Council approve the Customer Access Strategy. Thank you."