Innovation comes to the fore as council adapts to the new normal | The Northern Daily Leader | Tamworth, NSW
Innovation comes to the fore as council adapts to the new normal
Necessity is the mother of invention and so it is for Tamworth Regional Council as it finds new ways of delivering services to the local community within the necessary COVID-19 health measures.
Tamworth Region Mayor Col Murray said like many local businesses, council is changing the way it operates to adapt to the “new normal”.
“The aim is to maintain council’s current level of service to residents and businesses while also acting in the best health interests of our community,” Cr Murray said.
“The launch of the new Click and Collect service at Tamworth City Library and the new Tamworth Regional Trading Directory are two perfect examples of innovation.”
The Click and Collect library service can be accessed through www.cnl.nsw.gov.au. Readers can reserve the books they want to borrow and staff at Tamworth City Library will package them in a plastic bag, check them out and then take them to the loading dock in the laneway between the library and Parry House for collection.
When a borrower arrives, they press the buzzer and they will receive their books.
The Tamworth Region Trading Directory is an information hub to help residents find the most up-to-date operating hours and capacity of essential businesses.
This directory, on the Council website at www.tamworth.nsw.gov.au/tradingintamworth, provides residents with a specially curated one-stop-shop of information. Council staff are working in collaboration with the Tamworth Business Chamber to ensure the latest information is available.
Cr Murray said staff had also adapted some regular programs to be delivered online rather than face-to-face.
“This was the approach for Youth Week and School Holiday Activities where how-to videos and discussion sessions are being used to engage the targeted audiences,” he said.
“We are also using more online methods to seek community feedback about our strategies which are on public exhibition.
“While Council’s offices are closed to the public and so are some our facilities, our staff are working away but it looks a little different to what we are used to doing.”