Document Council's Complaints Policy and adoption of the Ombudsman's Complaint Handling Code

The Committee’s approval was sought to adopt the Local Government Ombudsman’s complaint handling code and approve the Council’s revised complaints policy.

Members recalled that the draft complaint handling code was submitted to the Committee in November 2023, when they approved the Council’s response to the Ombudsman’s consultation and that the code came into force in April 2024. 

Officers highlighted the key changes to complaint handling; the emphasis was now on promptness, consistency and transparency, as well as identifying trends and lessons learned that could be shared across the organisation.

Members approved the new definition of service requests and complaints as articulated by the Ombudsman.  Officers reported that whilst these were broader definitions it was anticipated that the opportunity could be taken, as encouraged by the Ombudsman, to convert more complaints to service requests which would then be dealt with as business as usual.  Members welcomed this and agreed it should make the process more efficient and timely for the customer.

It was noted that under the new definitions the complaints policy also covered contractors and colleagues in Housing had been leading on this, noting the new complaints policy for Housing that was approved by the Housing Committee in June 2024.

Officers described the new process which supported the code and policy and emphasised that its success relied on colleagues in Customer Services triaging complaints correctly and promptly to the allocated complaint handlers and in turn complaint handlers keeping their outlook diaries up to date with details of to whom complaints should be allocated in their absence. 

The new software replaced the corporate complaints register and could be interrogated more effectively for monitoring and performance, provided enough detail was included by the complaint handlers when managing a case from start to finish.  For example complaint handlers would now be required to record where service improvements had been made as a result of the outcome of a complaint.  This was important information to capture because it fed into the new performance monitoring requirements as set out in the formal policy.

Officers outlined the new timescales and expectations which had been incorporated into the policy and associated processes in the software built by colleagues in Digital Services.  It was confirmed that this had been ‘soft launched’ and the Committee thanked colleagues in Customer Services and Digital Services for their commitment and time in bringing this to life.

Members approved the core principles and objectives of dealing with complaints which had been summarised in the staff guidance.  The Committee was asked to note the guidance was a living document which could easily be updated as further guidance emerged, training was undertaken and complaint handlers fed back on the process and engagement therewith.

Officers confirmed details of the training being undertaken and a formal review of the software would take place later in the year.  The policy would be reviewed in June 2025 with any major changes being brought back for the Committee’s approval.

Members noted that the LGA campaign on ‘debate not hate’ was referenced in the new policy as requested by the Chair, and a report on the unreasonable complainant behaviour protocol would be submitted to the Committee in September.  Members were advised that at the next scheduled meeting, Officers would also be reporting on Quarter 1 of 2024/25, and by the meeting in November Officers would be able to report on complaints in Quarter 2 using data extracted from Jadu.  This would help the Council comply with the new reporting requirements in the Code to be restyled as the ‘complaints performance and service improvements report’ and feed into the annual self-assessment introduced by the Ombudsman’s code.

The Committee noted that an Equalities Screening Assessment had been conducted which complemented the one conducted by the Ombudsman.  The Council’s Equalities Group had positively reviewed the assessment and did not suggest any amendments.

Officers were thanked for their work and the Chair confirmed that the Standards and Audit Committee as a collective were the Council’s overseeing body for complaints and that the Chair of Housing retained that role for Housing related complaints.

Resolved that –

i)          the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman’s (the Ombudsman’s) Complaint Handling Code, issued in April 2024, be adopted;

ii)         the new internal Complaints Policy 2024 be approved; and

iii)        the guidance for staff be endorsed