Agenda item

Report of the Strategic Director, Corporate Services and Governance

A report was presented to Committee providing an analysis of complaints and compliments recorded by the Council and the Gateshead Housing Company in the year ended 31 March 2018.

Cabinet has referred the report to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee as part of the performance management process.

The complaints procedure has three steps, the first of which ‘problem solving’, relies on the quick resolution of complaints by employees and their managers and does not require the complaint to be recorded.  At the second step the complaint is recorded, there is a formal investigation into the complaint and a written response is given by a Senior Manager. If the complainant is still unhappy they can request the Chief Executive (or Managing Director of the Gateshead Housing Company) to carry out an independent review of their  complaint.

In the year 1 April 2017 to 31 March 2018:

·         258 complaints were recorded

·         466 compliments were recorded

·         27 complaints were the subject of an independent review by the Chief Executive of the Council and the Managing Director of the Gateshead Housing Company undertook 14 reviews.

The number of complaints recorded has reduced from 307 in 2016/17 to 258 in 2017/18, a decrease of 49.

466 compliments were recorded in 2017/18 compared to 754 in 2016/17, a decrease of 288.

The number of complainants requesting a review of their complaint by the Chief Executive has increase by 9 to 27 in 2017/18.  The Managing Director of the Housing Company carried out 14 reviews in 2017/18 compared to 20 in 2016/17.

The proportion of complaints found to be fully justified decreased from 36.9% in 2016/17 to 36.6% in 2017/18. The proportion of complaints found to be partially justified increased from 15.6% in 2016/17 to 24.7% in 2017/18.

The Council’s managers used the information gained through the monitoring of complaints to improve the provision of services.

The current computerised corporate complaints recording system had made it easy to record and track and respond to complaints. However, the system is now  outdated and is to be replaced. A new corporate complaints system is currently being developed using the case management features of the Council’s Digital Platform. .

During 2017/18, the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman investigated 24 complaints.  Of these 13 were closed after initial enquiries, 4 were not upheld and 7 were upheld partially or fully.  A summary of the cases which were upheld have been presented to Cabinet.  Each case has provided learning opportunities in terms of reviewing policy, maintenance of records, the operation of systems and the provision of guidance and training to staff.   The Council maintains a good working relationship with the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman and all cases have now been settled to their satisfaction. .

From 1 April 2013, the Localism Act 2011 extended the jurisdiction of the Housing Ombudsman to cover all social landlords, including Councils.  The Housing Ombudsman is able to consider complaints in so far as they relate to the provision or management of housing.  The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman continues to investigate complaints about allocations and the lettings policy.

During 2017/18 the Council has been contacted by the Housing Ombudsman in respect of 4 cases.  Of these, three cases had not exhausted the Housing Company’s complaints procedure and one case, the Housing Ombudsman determined that there was service failure and ordered compensation of £200 to be paid for the complainant’s distress and inconvenience.

RESOLVED -  That the information contained within the report be endorsed.