On 3 June 2019, the main reception of John Muir House, Haddington, will become the building’s Single Point of Contact for all services. This includes customer payments for council tax and rent, as well as enquiries about services including council housing, benefits, licensing, planning and building control.
This means that the separate Court Street reception - which currently deals with most payments, benefits, council tax and licensing enquiries currently - will close from the end of the day on Friday 31 May 2019. However, in preparation for the move to the main reception, a restricted payment service will be provided on the afternoon of 31 May. We therefore recommend that any customer intending to make a payment that day attends in the morning.
The Single Point of Contact at the main reception, on nearby Brewery Park, will have a fresh look and layout, with additional space for council staff to meet customers and handle enquiries. This will be a smarter and more efficient way of working as all enquiries will be dealt with in the same area.
The closure of the reception on Court Street will allow building work to progress in the former court buildings, allowing Police Scotland to relocate from Haddington Police Station. This will enable council staff to work with police and other partners to support and provide public services.
Alongside reception changes, we have also been developing our web based services to make it easier for people to interact with the council online. This includes the new-look website and ongoing development of online payments and a new customer platform. The development of these online initiatives will allow customers to interact with the council at a time and place of their own choosing.