Visitors to Huntingdonshire District Council’s customer services centre were surprised one morning to be offered a slice of cake while they waited to see an advisor.
The occasion was the centre’s first birthday and to celebrate, the chairman of the council, Councillor John Davies, and deputy leader, Councillor Mike Simpson, went along to the centre at Centenary House to congratulate the staff who during the 12 months dealt with 62,437 customers.
A two minute walk from the council’s offices at Pathfinder House, St Mary’s Street, Huntingdon, the centre provides customers access to a range of services on one ground floor location.  It is a facility that people have welcomed. A survey six months after it opened, asking people how satisfied they were with the service they had received, revealed that 99 per cent thought it ‘excellent’ or ‘good’. 
Councillor Simpson said: “The customer service centre has been a great success. People have been very complimentary about the standard of service they receive, and praising the helpfulness of the staff.”
Councillor Davies added: “It was a privilege to meet the staff who do such a valuable job. Before they  moved to Centenary House they were all working in different areas of Pathfinder House. The fact that they all work so well together as one team is a great credit to them.”
Pathfinder House is currently closed to the public – except for access to public meetings -- while construction of the council’s replacement offices is underway. A new customer service centre is part of the new development and is being designed to provide more convenient face-to-face contact allowing visitors to complete their business quickly and conveniently all in one area. The centre will complement the council’s already well-developed telephone and internet services.