Agenda item

The Committee noted a report of the Corporate Director, Neighbourhood Services, the purpose of which was to present performance in relation to complaints, compliments and suggestions for the financial year 2011/12, to highlight any learning outcomes resulting from those which had been received, and also to provide an update in relation to developments in the collection, monitoring and management of complaints (for copy see file of Minutes).

The Service Development Manager was in attendance to deliver the report and an overview presentation. He began by providing an overview of the non-statutory complaints which had been received during quarter 1, reporting that a total of 579 had been received. The majority of those complaints (57%) were received by Neighbourhood Services. Consistent with the trend over the 2010/11 financial year, that was to be expected due to the front facing nature of that service grouping.

95% of non statutory complaints had been acknowledged within target at Stage 1 and 82% were responded to within target. Members were advised that on the occasions when it was not possible to provide a response within the timescales, holding letters were issued explaining the reasons for the delays.

241 (42%) of non statutory complaints during the period had been found to be justified and a further 125 (22%) were partly justified.

The Committee were provided with an overview of non statutory complaints, compliments and suggestions received by each service area.

Three non statutory complaints had related to the Assistant Chief Executive Service, two of which related to issues with the Durham County News publication. Twelve complaints and 114 compliments had related to the Adult, Wellbeing and Health Service. It was reported that no key trends or learning outcomes had been identified.

Children and Young People’s Services had received 4 complaints and 161 compliments during the quarter, with no learning outcomes to report, and Neighbourhood Services had received 332 complaints and 91 compliments.  A significant number of improvements and changes had been made as a result of learning outcomes identified from those complaints, including the introduction of a web strategy to tackle the lack of information or out of date information on the website, and a key policy change regarding the replacement charge for wheeled bins.

The Service Delivery Manager advised that as a result of the 84 complaints received by the Regeneration and Economic Development service, a new procedure had been introduced to ensure customer contact details were kept up to date, and work was continuing with bus operators to optimise the Public Transport Network.

Corporate Resources had received 114 complaints and 39 compliments, with a number of measures since being taken to improve service delivery.

The Service Delivery Manager also provided an overview of the statutory complaints which had been received during quarter 1 of 2011/12, which related specifically to Adult, Wellbeing and Health and Children and Young People’s Services. All statutory complaints received by both services had been acknowledged within a maximum of 3 days.

Members were informed of the Local Government Ombudsman activity during the quarter and the learning outcomes which had been identified as a direct result of complaints being made to the Ombudsman against the Council.

In response to queries from Members the Service Delivery Manager clarified the difference between justified and partly justified complaints and how learning outcomes could be identified even though a complaint was only found to be partly justified.

He continued by advising that work was being undertaken regarding the complaints procedures which were in currently in place. The views of complainants were being sought as to how they found dealing with the complaints process, and improvements would be made accordingly. It had already become apparent that many complaints could be dealt with very early on without needing to progress to Stage 2, as such training was to be provided to front line staff to empower them to deal with matters and avert the need to refer matters on. This approach was to be piloted from the beginning of October and progress would be reported back to the Standards Committee.

Members commended the report and the presentation The Chair advised that both she and the Vice Chair regularly visited the Corporate Complaints Unit ahead of each Standards Committee meeting. She commended the work which was undertaken within the Unit and invited any Members to join her on future visits should they so wish.

Resolved:

That the report be noted.