Calls for council to open customer service point in this Kildare village

A Social Democrats councillor has called for a Kildare County Council customer service point to open in Leixlip, Co Kildare.

Cllr Nuala Killeen put her motion forward at a Celbridge-Leixlip Municipal District meeting held on Friday, May 16 last.

Cllr Killeen said that sometimes the public wish to speak with council officials, whether that be around their own personal issues, on grants or application forms, on work the council is carrying out, or on housing matters.

She was aware that there were dedicated housing clinics, she said, but there hadn't been one in Leixlip for a couple of years.

Cllr Killeen asked if there was any information on how people were interacting with information stands in the local libraries, and said she welcomed assistance with adult literacy and a six week course.

However, she did not know if the information stands would solve the problem of people wishing to speak to a council official, and that was the point of having a customer service point in Leixlip.

She said that even if the customer service point were available once a week, once a fortnight, or even it if was held in the council headquarters, it would afford people the opportunity to speak to a council official about whatever concerns they happened to have.

A report issued by the local authority stated that KCC's Corporate Services has engaged with the library service and visited libraries in both Celbridge and Leixlip.

Locations for leaflet stands were agreed at a meeting on May 8, and new display units are being procured.

It is also proposed to create leaflets with the key contact information for most regularly contacted sections in each council department.

As part of an overall review of the top 10 application forms, simplified user checklists will also be developed, the report stated.

The most requested forms were for:

• Motor Tax related

• Social Housing Supports

• Housing Adaptation Grants

• Register of Electors

It was noted there is a significant demand for the Adult Literacy for Life six-week course, using tutors from KWETB.

Corporate Services has agreed to provide funding to support provision of these courses in 2025 and are liaising with libraries regarding the administration of these.

It is intended that part of the training on this will specifically include accessing council services online.

READ NEXT: EirGrid launches public consultation for critical electricity grid upgrade in Kildare and South-West Dublin