New IPS board member aims to raise customer service

ILEX Professional Standards (IPS) has shown its commitment to raising the quality of its customer service and partnership working by appointing a new board member responsible for the Consumer and Stakeholder Portfolio.

Patrick Bligh-Cheesman has a career spanning 32 years in Local Government, with the last 10 years as Head of Trading Standards at one of the larger authorities. A strong believer in customer focused services; he has helped a range of services achieve the Government’s Charter Mark for excellence in customer service.

After retiring from Local Government in 2006, Patrick set up a regional team to tackle rogue trading on behalf of 61 local authorities across London, the East and South-East of England. Patrick is a lay member of the Ombudsman Service-Property Board and a Trustee Director of his local Citizens Advice Bureau.

Commenting on his appointment, Patrick Bligh-Cheesman said: “I am delighted to be joining the IPS Board at this time and look forward to helping IPS to deliver customer focussed services and to develop its operations in line with the opportunities presented within the new regulatory landscape.”

Ian Watson, Chief Executive of IPS added:”The Legal Services Act (2007) puts consumers at the heart of legal services. As an organisation that prides itself on serving its consumers we need to know more about their knowledge of Legal Executives and what they expect of them. Patrick’s appointment and experience will go a long way to ensuring IPS and ILEX meet their responsibilities under the Act, and that ILEX members meet and exceed consumers’ expectations.”

Posted 12.01.11