Issue - meetings

REPORT OF THE SERVICE DIRECTOR - CUSTOMERS

To seek the Committee's views on the Review of Comments, Compliments and Complaints Policy prior to consideration by Cabinet

RESOLVED:

(1)        That the report be noted;

(2)        That Paragraph 4.4 of the policy be reworded to ensure that the Council’s responsibility and willingness to take complaints was made clear and to set out steps to be taken;

(3)        That definitions  be included regarding unreasonable, unacceptable and vexacious.

REASONS FOR DECISIONS: To enable the Overview and Scrutiny Committee to comment on the report entitled Review of Comments, Compliments and Complaints Policy.

Audio recording – 48 minutes 10 seconds

Councillor David Levett advised Members that his wife worked in the Customer Services Department, however she had no input into any facts or figures used in this report.

The Customer Services Manager presented the report entitled Review of Comments, Compliments and Complaints Policy together with the following appendix:

·                 Appendix A – Comments, Compliments and Complaints Policy Updated May 2019.

She advised that

·                 The current Policy was well embedded and received good feedback from customers;

·                 3Cs were recorded corporately on the Customer Relationship Management System;

She drew attention to the following paragraphs of the Policy that had been amended:

·                 Paragraph 4.4 - an additional paragraph regarding complaints regarding contractors;

·                 Paragraph 4.5 – regarding complaints about staff members;

·                 Paragraph 7.3 – an additional paragraph regarding social media;

·                 A separate Policy was in place regarding unreasonable and unacceptable behaviour;

Benchmarking had taken place against neighbouring authorities and NHDC was leading the way. The Local Government Ombudsman was content with the approach.

The following Members commented and asked questions:

·                 Councillor David Levett;

·                 Councillor Kate Aspinwall;

·                 Councillor Helen Oliver;

·                 Councillor Sue Ngwala.

Members were concerned that there were no definitions regarding unreasonable and unacceptable.

In response to questions the Customer Services Manager advised that in respect of Paragraph 4.4 and 4.5 of the Policy Data was received regarding 3Cs from contractors, the aim was to enable the contractor to put things right in the first instance and there were regular contract meetings to discuss issues.

It was very rare for a decision to cease contact with a customer was made and if this action was taken, there was a review process undertaken before action was taken.

If there was an issue contacting a contractor, customer services would take complaints.

RESOLVED:

(1)        That the report be noted;

(2)        That Paragraph 4.4 of the policy be reworded to ensure that the Council’s responsibility and willingness to take complaints was made clear and to set out steps to be taken;

(3)        That definitions  be included regarding unreasonable, unacceptable and vexacious.

REASONS FOR DECISIONS: To enable the Overview and Scrutiny Committee to comment on the report entitled Review of Comments, Compliments and Complaints Policy.