Thetownend.com

...I've posted a few times in the past of "little" incidents with SBC workers, Swindon Borough Council....basically they do my head in, I try very hard to be polite, cheerful etc...but almost invariably end up going ballistic.

 Today being a classic of its type....I posted my payment for the first installment of council tax in good time for 1st April...normally if I pay by post, then SBC acknowledge receipt.  As no receipt had been forthcoming I thought  I'd nip in Wat Tyler and ask, if they'd received it, or whether Ralphy's boys had lost it. This being important as perceived missing an installment triggers shit in the system.

So, I wait for a moment, fella beckons me over, then ignores me and talks to colleague, not a good start....he basically says "who are you and what do you want."

 I explain, he says can you prove, you are, who you say you are...I say I shouldn't need to prove it, I know who I am  :) He says...I need proof.  At this point, coincidentally, a fella I know who is fairly well up the pecking order at SBC, appears...I say to him...tell your colleague that you know who I am..he does.

Jobsworth then says I need to see it in writing...I say would a library card do, showing him....no says he...no address.  You'll need to make an appointment...first available.. sometime next week.

I say...I'm not sure you're getting this, all I want is to know whether SBC got my cheque or not. 

 I'll get sacked if I do that, says he, Data Protection Act.  You could be anybody...but says I, I'm not anybody I'm me, like it says on the library card, cheque card, Co-op members card that I've shown you. Besides if I wasn't me, of what use would this information be to be anybody else.

Right says he....giving me a bit of paper with a phone number on...go over there and phone this number, after waiting 15 mins because of queue , I phone number, tell bird on the line what I want and within 30  secs, she confirmed they'd had the payment.

The fella was norvern...which might explain.

Excellent - I would put them in same category as The Tax Office people.

I dont think I would have held my temper that long to be truthful.

That sounds about right for Capita, Reg. Just ask Fred.