Omagh District Council’s Public Services Centre is designed to bring council services closer to ratepayers, offering a wide range of advice, guidance and support.
However the town centre office can also be used as a first point of contact for queries about services provided by government agencies in the region.
As he opened the centre, the Minister praised Omagh District Council for its concerted effort and forward thinking in providing a more citizen centred approach to public services. Mr Wilson also congratulated DRD Roads Service and other public sector agencies in the area for their commitment to and support of the Centre.
The Minister said: “I hope this is the first of many collaborative ventures across the public sector. I would also like to think Omagh will be held up as an example of how public services provided by local and central government can be delivered to communities in a modern and accessible way and in a manner which addresses their needs.”
Omagh District Council chairman, Councillor Martin McColgan, welcomed the Minister to Omagh and explained the positive impact the Public Services Centre is having in Omagh.
Councillor McColgan said: “This initiative by the Council has been developed to modernise and improve services to customers and puts Omagh at the forefront of customer care. The town centre location and longer opening hours, as well as the facility of being a single point of contact for all public services in the area, provides greater convenience and ensures better access to a wide range of public services for the people of the district.”
Representatives of agencies which have worked closely with Omagh District Council in taking forward this initiative including Roads Service, NI Housing Executive, Planning Service, Rate Collection Agency and the Western Education and Library Board also attended the launch.
Notes to Editors:
- Some of the Omagh District Council services on offer include: general information on the council and the way in which it conducts its business; information on waste collection and disposal; dog control; receiving environmental health requests; provision of forms and/or guidance for all services offered by the Council (e.g. Registration, Recruitment, Tenders, Grant Aid; payment of in-voices.
- The Public Services Centre will also receive queries relating to the work of Roads Service, Housing Executive, Planning Service, Rate Collection Agency and the Western Education and Library Board among others.
- For media enquiries - please contact DOE Press Office 028 9054 0014 or out-of-hours call EIS Duty Press Officer on pager 076 9971 5440 and your call will be returned.
