Agenda item

Annual Corporate Complaints Report 2020 - 21 Wokingham

To receive the Annual Corporate Complaints Report 2020 - 21 Wokingham.

Minutes:

The Committee received the Annual Corporate Complaints Report 2020-21.

 

During the discussion of this item the following points were made:

 

·       Covid had had an impact on the number and type of complaints received.  Many of the issues raised were familiar, but may have been made worse by the pandemic (e.g. maintenance repairs).

·       There had been an upward trend in the number of complaints resolved early.

·       Key learnings included the importance of clear communication.  Customers regularly felt that responses received lacked clarity, for instance, overusing technical jargon.  This had been discussed by the Complaints Focus Group.

·       The Committee noted a breakdown of formal complaints received at each stage and when they had been submitted.  In Quarter 1 there had been less received than in previous years for this quarter.  Numbers had increased sharply and then evened out by Quarter 4, resulting in a 16% increase in complaints.  Improved complaints reporting and co-ordinated responses had impacted on this.  The volume of customer interactions and work levels had increased, particularly in areas where complaints had increased such as housing maintenance and adult social care.  However, comparatively speaking formal complaints had not increased significantly.  This mirrored the national picture.

·       The 16% increase came in the main from customers wishing to escalate to Stage 2 and also included those that had not gone on to proceed to a Stage 2 investigation.  Members were informed that the rise in complaints was something to be monitored rather than worried about.

·       Members noted a breakdown of complaints by Directorate.  Housing maintenance repairs continued to make up a significant proportion of complaints.  This work had proved more challenging with Covid and social distancing requirements.  Complaints in Resources and Assets had decreased whist they had increased in Communities, Insight and Change.  This could be partially attributed to the move of Housing Services from Resources and Assets to Communities, Insight and Change.  Aside from this, the distribution of complaints was consistent with previous years.

·       Members were updated with regards to complaints considered under the Children’s Social Care complaints process.  There had been an increase in the number of complaints resolved at early resolution stage.  There had been a reduction in the number of Stage 1 complaints compared with the previous two years (down 37% compared to 2019/20).  There had been a small increase in escalations to Stage 2.  A case-by-case review would be carried out to identify if anything more could have been done to resolve the case any earlier.  A further three cases had been escalated to Stage 3 panel, two of which had been resolved.  Reasons for complaints included alleged inaccuracies in assessments, dissatisfaction with assessment reports or perceived poor attitude or conduct of staff.

·       Key learnings from complaints considered under the Children’s Social Care complaints process, included that some parents felt that they had not been kept sufficiently involved in the process or that there was bias in favour of the other parent.  Practice consultants had been running bite sized training for social care staff around issues of consent, use and tone of language in assessments and evidence-based assessments.  This would continue over the next financial year.

·       Members were updated on corporate complaints regarding Children’s Services.  There had a slight increase in the number of formally recorded complaints.

·       Members noted a sample of compliments received across the year.  A Customer Feedback Survey specifically for complaints had been developed.  This would gather feedback following complaint resolution.  Customers would be asked to give feedback and an overall rating of their experience and for their views on how their complaint had been dealt with.  Customers would be asked how easy it had been to submit a complaint and for feedback on those who had dealt with the complaint.

·       The Complaints Focus Group looked at how the Council could improve the way it dealt with complaints.  The Complaints Policy had been rebranded and awareness raised across the Council around the Complaints Policy.  Complaints training was being developed and an online complaints form had been launched.

·       Councillor Shenton asked whether the number of complaints escalated above Stage 1 varied or was fairly static.  He was informed that it did vary but levels had been fairly static for the last few years.  With regards to Children’s Social Care complaints, if a customer complaint was dealt with at Stage 1 and the customer felt that their complaint had not been satisfactorily resolved, it could be escalated to Stage 2.

·       Councillor Loyes commented that the number of complaints received in Quarter 3 seemed high and asked whether policies needed to change.  He was informed that the Council was trying to give clearer, simpler responses to complaints, across the Council.

·       Councillor Ross asked if it was possible to analyse the complaints given the unusual situation of Covid.  He also asked how the Complaints Team were made aware of what was considered jargon.  The Service Manager Customer Services Operations commented that people had been home more because of Covid and had noticed more issues.  There had been a number of complaints around housing maintenance which had had to reduce its activities because of Covid restrictions.  It was important to manage expectations around timescales.  In addition, the Ombudsman had closed from March-July which had had an impact on the number of complaints dealt with.  With regards to jargon, a Learning and Development Plan was being developed which would detail how to write and convey responses to complaints.

·       Councillor Shepherd-DuBey commented that she was hearing a lot of dissatisfaction regarding grass cutting and questioned when information regarding these complaints would be available.  She was informed that the cut off for the annual report had been March, so grass cutting reports would likely appear in the next quarter report.

 

RESOLVED:  That the Annual Corporate Complaints Report 2020-21 be noted.

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