Monday 07 September 2015
Media Enquiry from Open Lines Column, Guernsey Press:
I think we all know the Environment Department do not know what they are doing when it comes to making decisions. A lot of the other departments are in the race but the Environment are out in front by some distance at the moment. I know first hand how incompetent this department is on a personal note. I needed a reissue of something (I will not go too deeply into for personal reasons) from this department due for August.
I know the complications involved in dealing with Environment so I applied for the reissue weeks before it was due. Each time I enter the tax building at Bulwer Avenue they hand me a form to fill in and I asked: 'Will I need to see my GP or any other person relating to my request.' The answer will inevitably be, 'No.' So off I go and as per usual some time later my request is turned down.
I go into the tax again and get interviewed by a person who shows no willingness to listen to what I am saying and I come away with the same old request from this person who says, 'I must go and get a written letter from my GP.' I had already asked this don't forget. Now I go to my GP, costing me £44 odd that I can ill afford - the GP writes to the Environment and they then send me a letter with another form attached requesting I go back to my GP and get this filled in. Oh goody, another £44 odd I cannot afford. Also a form that I could have been given with the right information on either (preferably the first) of my two visits. Sadly (as you will have gathered by now) this is not a one off with this department. I get it every time I apply for anything from them.
They have a notice on the front desk saying they will not tolerate the staff being abused. Something I totally agree with - but surely this must work the other way. Abuse does not only mean someone screaming and shouting - it can be in the form of being totally ignored by the person one is speaking to by them not even bothering to look at you but instead reading notes and answering questions you have not even asked. Also just to make sure one knows they are sending a person around in circles and backward and forward to their GP (costing them money some of us cannot afford) this department makes reference to the fact they will not refund any money a person has to pay for these revisits to their doctor because of the department's incompetence. So once again I am looking at £88 odd and I have not got anywhere yet.
My last thoughts when leaving the tax department at Bulwer Avenue was the fact I could see how easily a person with a short fuse could have lost control and ended up being accused of being abusive after being provoked in this way. Someone sort it out please.
Environment Department Response:
It should firstly be pointed out how difficult it is to respond to allegations of this nature without knowing the specifics of the case in question. This is particularly frustrating given the nature of the allegations and the level of criticism against the Environment Department and its staff.
This is all the more disappointing as your correspondent could have raised their concerns directly with the Department which has an established procedure for dealing with complaints.
The Department is proud of the significant improvements that it has made to its customer service facilities at Bulwer Avenue in recent years, including the introduction of a meet and greet facility whereby customers have the opportunity to discuss their general requirements with a member of staff to ensure that they have all of the necessary paperwork with them before joining an automated queue and taking a seat in our waiting area. This procedure ensures that customers do not waste time waiting to be served only to find that they have to return home to collect paperwork required in order to complete a particular transaction. The Department has received many compliments about its customer service procedures, the improved ambience in the office and the general friendliness of its staff.
In cases where applicants have to provide medical documentation as part of an application process they are referred directly to staff who deal specifically with medical cases and because of the sensitivities involved they are usually taken into a small interview room if it is considered necessary to discuss any issues of a potentially personal nature.
Whilst it would be inappropriate to discuss individual applications in public (assuming that we even knew the details of this particular case), from what the Department does know it would appear that additional medical information has been requested in this instance in order to assist the Department in determining what is most likely to be an application for a driving licence or a disability permit. Clearly in such cases it is in the public interest to ensure that the Department does not issue a driving licence that is inappropriate on road safety grounds or a disability permit that is not warranted.
Speaking more generally and in the absence of the specific details relating to this matter, serious allegations of any incompetence or unwillingness of staff to listen will be properly investigated. However, in the absence of any detailed complaint, it may be that your correspondent's perception of events results more from the frustration of not being able to obtain the permissions they sought as quickly as they might have wished or for being challenged as to the validity or appropriateness of their particular request rather than the actual handling of the process.
On the issue of medical expenses, the Department will not require applicants to undertake medical examination or seek medical advice more than is absolutely necessary. However, the very nature of the Department's work requires certain medical advice to be taken into consideration and it is sometimes necessary to request further information.
Should your correspondent wish to talk to the Department directly about these matters then of course this will be facilitated.
Contact Information:
Karl Guille, Traffic and Transport Services Manager
Environment Department
Tel: 243400
