Accessing Our Services
The Council aims to ensure services continue as close to normal as possible during this time. Please follow our social media (Twitter and Facebook) for updates or visit this page for any changes to how our services have been affected.
Changes to West Lancashire Borough Council Service Delivery
Please help us to support you, by accessing non-emergency services online at westlancs.gov.uk which are available 24 hours a day. Please understand, we are prioritising calls to ensure we can continue to provide our essential services. For anyone who cannot access services online, our Customer Services team can be contacted on 01695 577177.
If you would like discuss an enquiry on any of the following matters you can call or email the phone number or address given:
01695 577177 or Housing.benefits@westlancs.gov.uk for Housing Benefit/Council Tax Support enquiries
01695 577177 or Council.tax@westlancs.gov.uk for Council Tax Enquiries
01695 587158 or Business.rates@westlancs.gov.uk for Non Domestic Rate (Business Rates)
You can access a number of council services online. If you are new to using the internet or want to build your confidence Learn my way (external link) is a website full of free online courses for beginners which is ran by The Good Things Foundation. Find out more on our support getting online section.
Please help us to support you, by accessing non-emergency services online which are available 24 hours a day Please understand, we are prioritising calls to ensure we can continue to provide our essential services. For anyone who cannot access services online, our Customer Services team can be contacted on 01695 577177.
Our online services include:
- Viewing planning applications
- Getting information about bin collections and recycling services and report problems
- Requesting a bulky waste collection
- Reporting fly tips and abandoned cars
- A number of council tax services, such as applying for a discount or change of circumstances
- Requesting a pest control service
- Enquiring about jobs with the council and give your comments, compliments and complaints
- Electoral registration and other elections and voting matters
- You can also report problems with street lighting, footways, or flooding to Lancashire County Council online
If you are a Council tenant, or want to be a Council tenant, you can find a lot of information and services online:
- Ways to pay rent and basic rent account queries
- Information on how to start a tenancy
- Right to buy
- Terminating a tenancy
- How to apply for a council garage
- Advice about how to find accommodation and access the Council's waiting lists
- How to join the mutual exchange register
- Advice about neighbour nuisance
Pest control:
West Lancashire Borough Council provides a comprehensive and understanding pest control service, offering advice and treatment for both residents and local businesses. Find out more here.
Grounds Maintenance:
We will be delivering a reduced service and areas will be unmaintained for longer periods of time than usual. We would like to ask residents not to contact us during this time to enable us to dedicate our resources.
Garden Waste Collection Service:
For residents who wish to subscribe to the 2020/21 garden waste subscription service, they can do this via the online only subscription form.
This service is online only whilst our call centre staff support vulnerable residents in the community during the Coronavirus Pandemic.
West Lancashire Borough Council Tenant Housing Repairs:
After discussions with our repairs contractor, Wates Living Space, we are continuing to offer a full responsive repairs service to tenants. The service will continue to operate in the Covid-secure manner that has been successfully developed by both Wates staff and the Councils Responsive Repairs and Voids Team. This will see operatives and staff from both Wates and the Council adhering to all Government and Public Health England (PHE) guidance as well as individual risk assessments and method statements.
However it should be noted that there may be occasions when appointments made with tenants will have to be re-arranged due to operatives and staff having to self-isolate at short notice either because they have contracted the virus or have potentially been exposed to the virus. While we will work with Wates to endeavour to keep this to a minimum, where this is unavoidable Wates have confirmed tenants will be kept updated via text messages re the status of their repairs and any subsequent re-arranged appointment times.
We will be constantly reviewing government advice relating to social distancing measures and working safely in people's homes regarding the Covid19 virus. In the event that additional local lockdowns to assist in the management of rises of confirmed COVID19 infection cases are introduced, then this may see certain routine repairs suspended for the duration of the local lockdown, within affected postcode areas.
Any reduction in the delivery of routine repairs will be communicated on the Council's web site and other social media platforms to ensure the most up to date information is shared with tenants at the earliest opportunity.
We would like to thank you for your continued patience and understanding during these difficult times.