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How can Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council (RCTCBC) provide support and information for residents in a way that responds to resident need and choice?
Rhondda Cynon Taf Health Determinants Research Collaboration (RCT HDRC) has been asked by lived experience advisors to review how residents can access Council information and services and how the Council communicates with them. RCTCBC promotes a digital first approach to communications with the public. This means that information on council services is primarily delivered online.
The pandemic accelerated the delivery of online services and the provision of online information which has helped the Council to cope with increasing demand. The move to online services, however, has not been beneficial for all. Some residents face barriers in accessing and navigating online services. Additionally, offline alternatives are often poorly promoted.
What the RCT Health Determinants Research Collaboration will do
We know that people access information and services from the Council in different ways, such as face-to-face support from a One4All advisor, help over the phone from the Council's Contact Centre, or using the website to find information. We want to understand more about the experiences of residents and staff of using these different platforms.
We will look at different types of information including residents’ experiences, data collected by the Council, academic research and information from other local authorities to:
Identify how RCT residents can currently access services and discover any gaps.
Understand what other local authorities are doing to provide inclusive access to services.
Consider the experience of staff providing support to residents.
Deepen understanding of residents’ experiences when interacting with the council, whether online or in person.
Explore how residents currently access information and services and how they would prefer to do this.
Assess whether the Council’s existing digital options meet the needs of residents.
How we will do this
To begin, we will build a clear picture of how the Council currently supports residents to access information and services. This will include evidence from several sources including Council data and views from residents and staff. The lived experience advisors are part of the project working group and we are also working with our Community Voice Team to engage with residents and community groups. By understanding how people access services now, we can know what is working well and identify any barriers and / or gaps in provision.
During the next stage of the project, we will look at how easy it is for residents to use our services, and we’ll explore where improvements can be made. We’ll also work with staff to learn what would help them make these improvements as efficiently as possible.
You can check out our other projects or contact us for more information.
How can Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council (RCTCBC) provide support and information for residents in a way that responds to resident need and choice?
Rhondda Cynon Taf Health Determinants Research Collaboration (RCT HDRC) has been asked by lived experience advisors to review how residents can access Council information and services and how the Council communicates with them. RCTCBC promotes a digital first approach to communications with the public. This means that information on council services is primarily delivered online.
The pandemic accelerated the delivery of online services and the provision of online information which has helped the Council to cope with increasing demand. The move to online services, however, has not been beneficial for all. Some residents face barriers in accessing and navigating online services. Additionally, offline alternatives are often poorly promoted.
What the RCT Health Determinants Research Collaboration will do
We know that people access information and services from the Council in different ways, such as face-to-face support from a One4All advisor, help over the phone from the Council's Contact Centre, or using the website to find information. We want to understand more about the experiences of residents and staff of using these different platforms.
We will look at different types of information including residents’ experiences, data collected by the Council, academic research and information from other local authorities to:
Identify how RCT residents can currently access services and discover any gaps.
Understand what other local authorities are doing to provide inclusive access to services.
Consider the experience of staff providing support to residents.
Deepen understanding of residents’ experiences when interacting with the council, whether online or in person.
Explore how residents currently access information and services and how they would prefer to do this.
Assess whether the Council’s existing digital options meet the needs of residents.
How we will do this
To begin, we will build a clear picture of how the Council currently supports residents to access information and services. This will include evidence from several sources including Council data and views from residents and staff. The lived experience advisors are part of the project working group and we are also working with our Community Voice Team to engage with residents and community groups. By understanding how people access services now, we can know what is working well and identify any barriers and / or gaps in provision.
During the next stage of the project, we will look at how easy it is for residents to use our services, and we’ll explore where improvements can be made. We’ll also work with staff to learn what would help them make these improvements as efficiently as possible.
You can check out our other projects or contact us for more information.
Share Late 2025 / early 2026 on FacebookShare Late 2025 / early 2026 on TwitterShare Late 2025 / early 2026 on LinkedinEmail Late 2025 / early 2026 link
We are reviewing academic research and reports related to digital exclusion, inclusion and equitable access to services, as well as looking at best practices from other local authorities and public services. We are talking to experts on digital exclusion and access to services to learn about about the barriers residents face. We are analysing organisational data collected by the Council on its services and users to help us gain an understanding of how people currently access information and services and if there are any gaps.
Share May 2025 on FacebookShare May 2025 on TwitterShare May 2025 on LinkedinEmail May 2025 link
We held a clinic with Lived Experience Advisors and Council staff to talk about their experiences accessing and providing services. The discussion was productive and highlighted several barriers: limited information on alternative ways to access services, long waiting times and delays at the Contact centre, website problems mainly related to accessibility, and not enoughopportunities for drop-in help.
