Council heads go back to the shop floor in Bradford

Council heads will be joining refuse collectors among other staff members

Bradford Council heads will be rolling up their sleeves and getting their hands dirty as they go back to work on the front line.

They will join council employees as part of National Customer Service Week.

One of those taking part is Kath Tunstall, Bradford's director of children and young people's services, who will be doing a stint on the bins.

Kath said: "Our crew do a marvellous job and I'm looking forward to spending the day with them."

Making a difference

National Customer Service Week, which runs from 4 to 8 October 2010, is seen as a chance for bosses to celebrate the achievements of service staff and to thank them for their everyday work in making a difference to their customers.

Joining Kath Tunstall will be Ian Bairstow, strategic director for environment and neighbourhoods, who will be out with the dog wardens and Mary Weastell, strategic director of performance and commissioning, who will be helping children with team building and orienteering at Ilkley's Nell Bank outdoor pursuits centre.

Environment head Ian Bairstow said he hoped he would learn something from his time with the dog wardens.

He explained: "I've always liked dogs and I'm appalled that people mistreat and abandon them and then the Council has to step in to get them to kennels and keep the public safe.

"I'm sure working with the dog warden service will be a real eye-opener."

Good service

National Customer Service Week takes place across the country with employees dressing up, dressing down, holding quizzes, swapping jobs, organising theme days and special service awareness events to draw colleagues' and customers' attention to the importance of providing good service.

Bradford Council's chief executive Tony Reeves will be listening to advice given to housing benefit claimants when he shadows a senior advisor at bdirect, the council's customer service centre.

Moira Wilson, head of adult and community service, will be working with people with learning disabilities.

Refuse collection is one of the most vital services we provide and I will be getting stuck in. Kath Tunstall, Bradford Council

Mary Weastell, who works with young people as a member of the county's Prince's Trust, said: "I've a great love of the outdoors and working with young people.

"It will be a great opportunity to be involved with young people, especially participating in the activities at Nell Bank.

"The current Lord Mayor has chosen Nell Bank as his charity for the year as it is such a fantastic resource for the district and one of the best outdoor and environmental education centres in the country in a beautiful setting near the River Wharfe."

And Kath Tunstall, preparing for a day alongside Bradford's refuse collectors, said: "Refuse collection is one of the most vital services we provide and I will be getting stuck in and working hard to empty the bins to their very high standards."