Crafty Comhairle nan Eilean Siar used the introduction of a high-tech IP phone system as an excuse to switch to an 0845 phone number, it has emerged. An expert in IP telephony is upgrading systems in the islands just now and he is amazed at the deviousness because, he tells me, there is no actual connection between upgrading to IP and a new 0845 number.

Any number can be ported to an IP system – including existing ones. The fact the phone system was becoming obsolete was no reason to change its number to 0845. So the wording of the press release (see below) announcing the number change was a “fiendishly clever con”. His words. He also tells me oodles of taxpayers’ cash is being raked in by someone, somewhere due to the “revenue split” for 0845 “local-rate” numbers. Somehow, the comhairle forgot to explain that in its fantastically-misleading announcement.

It also forgot to warn us that the main mobile providers are charging at least 25p a minute for calls to 0845. Orange charges 40ppm. That’s £7.50 (sorry, £12 for a typical 30-minute call about housing benefit) or the cost of several meals for many people. One occasional user tariff on T-Mobile often used by poor people  is £2.50 a minute. Yes, £2.50 a minute. That would be, er, er, well, a heck of a lot for a half-hour call for benefits advice.

Let’s be clear. If that potential rip-off wasn’t explained to councillors before they decided on 0845, then they were misled by their own officials and advisers who must have been either incompetent, crooked or bullied by someone with an agenda. I can find no mention of such an explanation in the minutes of the ICT, Procurement and Asset Management Sub-Committee which okayed it in April 2008. So which was it?

The comhairle, however, did rabbit on about all those “savings” it would make calling between its own offices but completely failed to explain the brutal hike in charges for me and you – and some of the most disadvantaged people in our society. Shame on them. Where is the cash going? Who set up this foul con? Apparently, they had one of the UK’s most expensive consultants doing “a stupid, unneeded feasibility study” because, my man says, all the information on the options for a comhairle-sized organisation is available for free. No cost to the taxpayer but no, they decided to fork out many thousands for a report the content of which is largely available by Googling. Nice work, Mott. You still made a hash of it and recommended the wrong type of number. Are you taking a cut too?

After a two-year refusal to face facts, one dozy council down south recently discovered its 0845 profits were going straight into the pockets of the crooked director who ordered it. What is happening at our comhairle? I think we should be told – and exactly how much? Some of us use 0845 numbers for business purposes. I do, because I can divert it wherever I am and my business contacts accept that. That doesn’t make it suitable for public services. However cash-strapped a council is, it is unacceptable for it to blithely rip off its poorest residents by overcharging them when they have to call. That is cruel and unnecessary exploitation. There is absolutely no benefit to people here – just a longer number that few can remember. Anyone else smell a rat in the way the number change was sold to the clueless, half-asleep councillors who will agree anything put in front of them in a report with long words.

“Local rate” is the wrong term. There is no such rate now. Two years ago Ofcom advised the government to get rid of 0845 numbers for JobCentre Plus because of the cost to those on low incomes. It’s never right for public bodies – local or national – to rake in cash from unwitting callers unless there are unarguable public benefits. The Association of Chief Police Officers (England and Wales) agrees though it is left to the good sense of the various boards and authorities in Scotland. Good sense?

If a public body wants to change its phone number, Ofcom says it should take UK-wide 0300 or 0345 numbers – cheaper to call and no dodgy revenue sharing. Calls to 03xx are included in the cost of most call bundles and, where charged, cost only 4p to 6p for several minutes of landline calls. Many departments realised 0845 was incredibly unfair to poorer mobile users and quickly complied. Our caring, sharing comhairle did the exact opposite.

This is where we must praise the board of Hebridean Housing Partnership which sensibly didn’t want to be lumped in with the other public sector crooks. HHP dumped its hated 0845 number and now has 0300 123 0773. We salute you, decent housing persons.

More and more police forces are playing fair and promoting 03 numbers like Tayside and the Met. But not, of course, good old Northern Con-stabulary – which is still ripping people off with its own money-spinning 0845 non-emergency number and failing to explain why or even declaring its profits. After all, it is not as if there is any connection at a senior level between the grasping cops of the north and this conning council. Or is there? Hmm, let me think …

They should all look at the website http://www.crimestoppers.org.uk which, although it concentrates on England and Wales, has very pertinent information which should make them hang their heads in shame. The document from the Association of Chief Police Officers should be illuminating. That is, if they actually care about vulnerable people.

But we’re only talking about a few coppers, right? The comhairle gets hundreds, if not thousands, of incoming calls a day on its shiny new 0845 number. Someone is creaming off about half the cost of each and every call including ones from mobiles. We are not allowed to know who or how much. But, as former councillor Norman L used to call all those tiresome news stories about schools closures, it is one heck of a dripping roast.

Although Comhairle nan Eilean Siar is not exactly well-known for listening to anyone, surely there are some intelligent life forms in senior management on Sandwick Road who will now call a halt to this ghastly rip-off. They don’t need to scrap the whole megabucks IP system. Just that foolish, futile and utterly forgettable 0845 main number.

UPDATE 1: Thank you for getting in touch. Staff were promised the new extension numbers would have the same final three digits as the old numbers. Didn’t happen and total confusion ensued. They were assured the new arrangements  would bed in after two weeks. Some departments on new system, some aren’t. Three months on, frustrated staff still ring the 0845 main number – incurring a charge – just to call the office down the corridor. Hugely expensive cock-up. “Norman Macdonald says just give it more time.” “Put on your blog the public are also confused.” ”We all want 703773 back.” “Iain, these charges are indefensible. If they don’t get rid, then we must arrange a complaint to the Scottish ombudsman.”

Press Release – 19th January 2011

New Telephone System For Comhairle

Comhairle nan Eilean Siar is introducing a new IP telephone system as from the 31st January 2011. This will result in new numbers for existing extensions.

The existing telephone system is becoming obsolete and can no longer effectively support the business requirements of the Comhairle. It is also at capacity at several locations and cannot be expanded. The new system has been successfully trialled in schools and at the main Comhairle offices.

Chair of ICT sub-committee Norman A Macdonald, said: “This new system will mean a modernised, improved telephone system for employees, service users and the general public. The Comhairle is using new technology to improve customer access to all its services and to reduce costs associated with the current system”.

The new general number for the Comhairle will be 0845 600 7090. Calls to this number can be distributed over the Comhairle network to create a virtual reception. Individual extension numbers will also change and the new list of direct dial numbers is on the Comhairle website. The new system uses the Comhairle’s computer networks and means there will be no call charges to the Comhairle for all inter-office and school calls.

There will also be savings from the decommissioning of leased lines. In addition, all Comhairle offices and schools will have a consistent infrastructure, reducing the maintenance and management costs associated with the current system.

The IP system will also provide more flexibility for remote and mobile working.
The number for Faire, the Comhairle’s emergency and out of hours centre, will remain the same – 01851 701702.

Details of the new extension numbers are available on the Comhairle website at www.cne-siar.gov.uk.