Agenda item

To consider a report by the Corporate Complaints Officer (copy enclosed) which analyses the feedback received via the customer feedback policy ‘Your Voice’ during Quarters 3 and 4 2011/12 and highlights areas where the policy and process could be improved.  The report seeks members’ views on how policies and processes in this area can be improved.

A copy of a report by the Head of Customers and Education Support, which provided information regarding performance issues identified via the ‘Your Voice’, customer feedback policy, and which made recommendations to address the policy and process accordingly, had been circulated with the papers for the meeting.

The Head of Customers and Education Support explained that the report presented an analysis of the feedback received through the Denbighshire County Council’s customer feedback policy ‘Your Voice’ during Quarters 3 and 4 of 2011/12 and highlighted areas for improvement.  She referred to the need to change the perception of complaints in terms of how they were reported, the process for dealing with them and the action taken by the Authority with regard to the information gained.  There was a need to change the culture of the perception of complaints as being negative to it being a way to bring about positive improvements.  There was also a need to encourage customers to put forward and submit complaints as this would be important in enabling the Authority to address processes which were not being undertaken to the satisfaction of the customer.  Reference was made to the introduction of a pre-complaint process, where problems could be addressed prior to developing into a complaint, with information received being utilised to shape the services provided to the customer.  

The Customer Care Project Officer provided a detailed summary of the report which included a summary of performance, information on the volume of complaints, complaint response times, categories of complaints and the outcomes of complaints.  The data provided in the report included complaints recorded on the central CRM system, nevertheless not all complaints had been recorded for reasons indicated in the report.  Further work was therefore required to ensure all complaints were recorded centrally.

There was an opportunity and need, to review ‘Your Voice’ to ensure the complaints process supported the Council’s own ambitions and delivered the WG’s aim.  Details of areas for inclusion in the review had been outlined in the report.  In response to a question from the Chair, the Head of Customers and Education Support anticipated that the outcome of the review would be reported to the Committee in September or October, 2012.  Members of the Committee agreed that the Working Group, to be convened to monitor performance, also include within its remit consideration of the complaints process review.  Members agreed that the Working Group be convened prior to the next meeting of the Scrutiny Committee.

Councillor H. Hilditch-Roberts referred to the complaint reporting process and highlighted the important of ensuring consistency throughout all services when monitoring and addressing complaints.  He also referred to the need to monitor and track the progress of each complaint received.

In reply to a question regarding the importance of strong communication links between the County and the Town and Community Councils, the Head of Customers and Education Support outlined the initiatives introduced to strengthen links with Town and Community Councils.

The Chair referred to complaints relating to Housing Services, page 87 of the report, complaints rising from 11 to 17, and also page 91 where only 4 out of 23 complaints in Q3 and 1 out of 21 in Q4 were responded to within the required timescale.  A similar situation had also arisen with respect to social services complaints in both quarters on page 91.  The Principal Housing Officer outlined the measures introduced by Housing Services to address and record complaints received and amend the follow up process.   He confirmed that officers would receive training in respect of the complaints process and work would be undertaken with the public to improve customer services and relations.  The Customer Care Project Officer informed Members that the complaints process in Housing Services had in some instances been misused as a request to expedite maintenance work, and he explained that a more accurate method of recording would be required to identify this type of complaint. 

In reply to a question from the Chair regarding the number of 'Red' status showing in regards volumes of complaints in the Regeneration, Planning and Public Protection Service, the Customer Care Project Officer advised that volumes could fluctuate between periods.  Where only a small number were received by a service area any change could show as a high percentage and due to the tolerance used they could therefore be flagged as 'Red'.  He explained that this was the case with this service and advised that these be reviewed drawing attention to the end column of the table, Recommendation, which would provide a better impression of the need for action.

RESOLVED – that the:-

(a)                                       Corporate Complaints Officer review the current customer feedback policy in the context of the Authority’s performance in complaints handling, and work with the Senior Leadership Team (SLT) to improve performance.  The review to include, but not exclusively focus on, the issues identified in the report.

(b)                                       Working Group, established to monitor Services’ performance, include within its remit consideration of the Customer Complaints Process Review, and that the Working Group be convened prior to the next meeting of the Scrutiny Committee; and

(c)                                       Committee receive a further report in the autumn detailing the changes proposed to the policy following the above review