Agenda item

Joint Report of the Corporate Director Neighbourhood Services and

Assistant Chief Executive.

The Committee considered a Joint Report of the Assistant Chief Executive and Corporate Director, Neighbourhood Services which provided details of the Customer Feedback: Complaints, Compliment and Suggestions Year End Report 2014/15 (for copy see file of minutes).

The Customer Relations, Policy and Performance Manager, Mary Readman advised that between 1 April 2014 and 31 March 2015 Durham County Council received 2,649 stage 1 complaints, 193 compliments and 299 suggestions. 195 complaints had escalated to stage 2. During this period 177 complaints and 509 compliments received were in relation to adult and children’s social care statutory services.

It was reported that complaints received during 2014/15 had a steady decline overall.

She also referred to the handling of stage 2 complaints where 24% were responded to within 20 days and advised members that they struggled with this target as they were often complex and required thorough investigation. A significant improvement had been made in responding to stage 2 complaints with the average complaints open at any one time reducing from over 60 at the beginning of 2014/15 to fewer than 20 by the end of the year. 47% of the complaints processed were not upheld

Further details were provided for each service grouping for 2014/15 in relation to complaints, compliments and suggestions.

Moving on the Customer Relations, Policy and Performance Manager advised members that in order to provide an analysis by area of complaints they were geocoded and included in the geographic analysis which considered complaints by Strategic Partnership Areas. They also looked at the rate per 1,000 households which showed a noticeable difference.

Members were also advised that during 2014/15 the Local Government Ombudsman made initial enquiries / investigations into 130 matters. The Ombudsman delivered decisions on 36 matters in 12 of the cases no fault was found, 11 cases maladministration and injustice to the complainant was found and they were still waiting for decisions on 19 cases and 1 case relating to planning issues was on hold pending legal proceedings.

Following the presentation, Councillor A Shield complimented the report and referred to the table on page 40 of the agenda and indicated that there were only two areas which had seen an increase in complaints.

Councillor Wilkes referred to the same table and indicated that there had been a big reduction in the number of complaints however Neighbourhood Services was less than last year but was still a 20% increase from 3 years ago. Weather related complaints were not removed so he would like to see a figure in future with the weather related incidents removed. Also could compliments be better drawn out.

The Customer Relations, Policy and Performance Manager responded that it was difficult to get a status quo as they had introduced a lot of services, changes had been made and some services reduced. The biggest changes were in 2012/13, but she would take his comments on board. She had discussed with the Head of Planning and Performance about reviewing the report and taking some factors out.

Members discussed the take up of the garden waste which was 63,000 and how this compared to the projected figure and how much money had been saved.

CouncillorStradling and the Chairman complimented the Customer Relations, Policy and Performance Manager on her report.

Members also discussed the Local Government Ombudsman settlements and if the details could be shared with Members. Officers responded that this was reported through the Standards Committee. Members were also advised that the Local Government Ombudsman did publish information on their website.

Resolved:

That the contents of the report be noted.