Visitors to Wycombe District Council can now have their questions answered in a new £500,000 state of the art customer centre and 80 per cent of calls can be cleared up at the first point of contact causing far less confusion for the public.

It seems the biggest problem faced by councils is from the public who don't know the difference between county council and district council.

Reporter Carla Delaney comes up with a few tricky questions of her own and goes undercover to see if the new system works.

I'VE done making a nuisance of myself with Wycombe District Council.

I can't catch them out. There are generally no flies on me when it comes to finding out answers to knotty problems. So I was tempted to ask the council about maggots in wheelie bins when I was asked to check out the efficiency of the new £500,000 Wycombe District Council customer centre.

I'd noticed the subject of maggots is aired on the council website. Apparently questions about the critters are a hot topic. But I resisted the temptation to bring a bag of wriggling things into the offices at Queen Victoria Road, High Wycombe.

Instead I made a nuisance of myself with a sticky phone enquiry about bin emptying over Christmas and fears that it would take a miracle to squeeze the contents of the family festive debris into one humble bin. I thought I was onto a winner with the smelly question because it had vexed a young council clerk I'd met at a function and left him puzzled.

But I couldn't raise a stink over the issue because I was instantly put onto sanitation when I rang up.

The lady handling my enquiry on the council's new telephone helpline almost choked when she heard we were a family of 12 but efficiently offered to post me the collection timetable immediately.

She also included a form to complete about the size of my family which could give me the option of obtaining a second bin. It may not solve the immediate difficulty but I couldn't fault their helpfulness.

I didn't give up. I made a second call a short time later about the possibility of having a roundabout at the bottom of my road. I hoped that would leave them in a spin.

I knew that Highways are handled by the county council and the local council in Wycombe would normally send me away with a flea in the ear. However, I was put through to someone almost instantly.

It seems the new centre isn't fazed by anything. They even have information in Urdu and Braille as well as English.

I explained about cars getting stuck at the bottom of Blind Lane in Bourne End in the mornings and evenings trying to turn right onto the major junction. I got carried away with details. She patiently listened to what I had to say and left me for a couple of minutes to find out the answer.

Although it seems there are no plans to have such a timesaver I can report that the query was dealt with promptly, politely and efficiently, even though the enquiry was a local council issue.

I am not sure if I was put through to County Hall for it or if the clerk made calls to her opposite number at County Hall on my behalf.

I saved up my planning enquiry until last and thought a personal visit to the customer centre was called for.

Apart from the fact that parking is a major issue in the town at the moment, the assignment turned out to be relatively simple.

I found the new facility well signposted and light and airy. I was busily reading a notice board shortly after entering the visitors area when I was approached by an efficient member of staff. When I told her my enquiry was about building a porch on my house she immediately pointed me in the direction of the Planning Department.

The place was reasonably quiet with only a handful of people waiting to be seen. When I told the young planning officer I was considering replacing our existing porch he was extremely helpful and gave me plenty of information to take home or seek out via the website.

He supplied me with a planning guide for householders produced by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister giving the ground rules.

He also advised that adding a porch is relatively easy but if I was in any doubt I should send in written details of the plans. He said I wouldn't have to supply a professional design in the first instance and I should allow three weeks for a reply. He also explained the procedures on planning permission generally.

I was also shown the council website which is packed with information.

It remains to be seen whether the council will be as efficient in a few months time when the shine has worn off their new customer centre toy. I hope it shines as bright and efficient in later months as it did when I called. I hope they also tell their counterparts at Buckinghamshire County Council about their new plaything because when I phoned County Hall the switchboard lady said she hadn't heard about a new customer centre. At £500,000 the information should be up in lights!

Fact File

Who can you turn to?

County Councils cover:

- Education

- Social services

- Refuse disposal

- Transportation

- Highways

- Street lighting

- Planning

District Councils Cover:

- Refuse collection

-Transportation

-Car parks

-Street lighting

- Housing

-Planning
(Wycombe District Council is based in High Wycombe, with area offices in Marlow and Princes Risborough)

Parish Councils Cover:

-Transportation

- Street lighting