Councillor Sally Morgan says Council Clients Deserve Privacy

1.51.44pm GMT Tue 3rd Mar 2009

I regularly have to deal with the media in my role and it is something that can be either a pain or a pleasure! I have learnt over the years how to deal with some journalists and gained an instinct as to what they want from me. I can tell if they are trying to run a positive story or have a very different 'angle'.

I was not surprised recently to get a call from two local radio stations about a press release that Teignbridge District Council had put out about improvements to the reception area at Forde House. With stories about the credit crunch rife I guessed that the media angle was to suggest that the council was wasting money on such improvements. The very first question the journalist from one radio station asked was "So, Teignbridge District Council is getting a swanky new reception area then?" Hardly subtle - my instincts were right! Unfortunately for her, she wasn't going to get the story she wanted!

The facts were that an under spend in a previous project and some careful budgeting meant that the much needed improvements were going to be made using existing funding. The reception area at Forde House has had nothing done to it for years and was rather shabby, it also gets very busy indeed and there are often a large number of people wishing to talk to someone about benefit and housing issues - personal stuff. With the credit crunch in mind and the prospect of more people wanting advice, the council has decided to create some more private interview facilities (there was only one previously). Interview rooms have been planned for the reception area where people can talk in private to council staff about personal, benefit and housing issues they would rather not discuss in public. The reception area would also get a few cracks filled and a lick of paint at the same time!

I can more than justify the need for such private interview facilities after a recent experience I had at the Job Centre Plus in Newton Abbot (or jobcentreplus as it prefers to call itself - a real bug bear for a primary school teacher like me who has spent hours telling children to use capital letters!).

I was accompanying someone who needed some advice and support from the jobcentreplus. As we walked in the door we were met by a 'greeter' (and two security guards) who asked us how she could help - I hasten to add that she was not the problem, just the whole set up of the situation. We were expected to explain to the greeter why we were here - it was quite a personal issue so we asked if there was anywhere we could talk without the whole open plan office observing and the security guards chipping in unhelpfully. There was no-where. We were expected to discuss personal and private issues right there by the door - the whole experience was disrespectful and degrading.

I have written to the minister to express my disgust at the way people who are looking for help and support from this organisation are treated and I've also taken it up with our MP. It was interesting to note a debate on the Welfare Reform Bill on BBC Parliament recently (yes, I watch it regularly) where MPs had also obviously had similar experiences. It seems that jobcentreplus is going to be looking at how it caters for its clients in future. Good. Many people in that situation and looking for work are often suffering from low self esteem and a lack of confidence. The last thing they need is a lack of respect shown to them by an organisation that they go to for help. By forcing them to discuss their issues in full view and hearing of others shows a real lack of respect for someone's need for privacy and dignity.

This is an edited version of an article that appeared in The Cottage in February, 2009