Northumberland County Council is currently undergoing a review of its telephony arrangements. As part of this process, work has been undertaken to review the use of the 0845 600 6400 telephone number for the central contact centre, following concerns raised by members of the public about the cost of calling this telephone number, particularly from a mobile telephone.

As a result, from Monday 13th January 2014, the Council began to offer ten additional telephone numbers for use when calling the central contact centre. These numbers provide a locally recognisable telephone number for each of the ten area codes used across Northumberland and will be offered alongside the existing 0845 600 6400 telephone number, so that our customers have the choice of how to contact us, depending on which is the best cost option for them.

Local line numbers may be cheaper for customers to call, depending on the telephone service provider they use and the payment package they have in place. In particular, most mobile phone companies will offer free calls to local area code numbers as part of ‘free minute’ packages, but may charge for calls to 0845 numbers.

Customers who are unsure about the most cost effective way to contact the Council should check with their telephone service provider about their charges.

Local area coded numbers will be advertised on the Council website and in front line offices and can be given to members of the public, should they be requested during your conversations with them.

A full list of the new telephone numbers and the geographical areas these cover is included within the enclosed Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document, which also provides some additional information about the changes. The public can also be directed to the Council’s website: www.northumberland.gov.uk should they wish to access a list of the new numbers and the FAQ.

The main local area code number for use within your Parish Council area is: 01830 570085.