More work is done at home. Initially this was a problem for some staff whose home circumstances made this difficult. The Oases are also used for convenience when colleagues want to meet. There was concern at the start of the scheme that less experienced staff would not be able to check things informally with colleagues. This is also becoming a non-issue.
Managers are available on mobile phones.
The administration is slick. Team meetings are held once a month. Staff use mobiles for contactability, but tend to use charge cards where possible for making calls. A special connection between the mobile operator's network and the council IT network means low tariffs for connecting to the IT network via mobiles, which gives access both to electronic mail and the trading standards databases. Portable faxes are available where people need them for working at home.