INVERCLYDE Council’s new £2 million customer service centre will open for business at 8.45am on Monday (11 June).

Staff and equipment have been moved from temporary accommodation at Wallace Place into the new custom-built facility in the Municipal Buildings, Clyde Square in Greenock.

Council Leader Councillor Stephen McCabe, pictured in the centre, said: "The new customer service centre is light, spacious and welcoming and will transform the way we communicate with our customers. It offers a single point of contact for people accessing a wide range of services where highly trained staff will be able to deal quickly and efficiently with any query. We are proud of our status as a modern, innovative council and the new centre reflects that perfectly.”

The centre takes up the ground and mezzanine floor of the Municipal Buildings and is situated behind modern glazing between the historic decorative pillars of the original façade. Services can be accessed in person, by phone or through the internet.

Depute Leader Councillor Jim Clocherty said: "This was an important project for the council as it is the public face of the organisation. The new centre reflects a key investment in improving the delivery of our services to the people who matter most – our customers.”

In addition to the council’s main reception, services available at the centre will include Council Tax payments and enquiries; Housing and Council Tax benefit applications and enquiries; road repair enquiries; street cleaning requests; refuse collection enquiries; licensing applications and payments; and free school meals and clothing grant applications and enquiries.