More than 20 Wigan Council bosses are going ‘back to the floor’ as part of a national week to celebrate customer service.

Leading councillors and senior executives will experience what it’s like to work at the sharp end of customer services as part of the council’s drive to be an outstanding organisation.

Among those taking part in National Customer Services Week (October 6-10) are council leader Peter Smith, who will spend a morning on the reception desk at Leigh Sports Village and deputy leader Cllr David Molyneux who will join his cabinet colleague Chris Ready in the council’s CCTV room.

Children’s cabinet champion Cllr Susan Loudon will serve up school dinners at St George’s primary school in Atherton.

Cllr Ready says: “The aim is to highlight the importance of our front line staff and to understand how we can support them to deliver top quality services to our customers.

“It’s important that those of us who make council policy understand what it’s like for both our customers and front line staff.”

Chief executive Joyce Redfearn will spend time as a passenger assistant working with special needs children, finance boss David Smith will work on the council’s switchboard taking calls from members of the public, while environmental services director Martin Kimber will experience life at the sharpest off sharp ends when he dons the yellow jacket of a parking warden.

Ms Redfearn says: “There is a very serious purpose to all this. We are aiming to be an outstanding council and the experience our customers receive when dealing with us is really important.

“It’s important for managers and policy makers not to get detached from the ‘front line’. This kind of event helps to reconnect us with what it means to be working directly with the public”.

The event is one of a number taking place during the week aimed at demonstrating how the council is planning to transform its customer services.