Issue - meetings

REPORT OF THE SERVICE DIRECTOR – CUSTOMERS

To adopt the revised Comments, Compliments and Complaints policy (also known as 3Cs), in order to ensure the Council’s policy is current and reflects best practice.

RESOLVED: That the updated Comments, Compliments and Complaints Policy, as contained in Appendix A ,be approved with the following amendments:

(i)      The addition of a flow chart to help customers navigate the document;

(ii)     That a short version of the Policy be made available describing how to make a simple comment, compliment or complaint.

REASON FOR DECISION: To ensure that the NHDC Policy for Comments, Compliments and Complaints is up to date and clear and easy for customers and our staff to understand.

Audio recording – 40 minutes 20 seconds

The Leader of the Council presented the report entitled Review of Comments, Compliments and Complaints Policy together with the following appendix:

·                 Appendix A – Comments, Compliments and Complaints Policy.

He advised that the Policy had been considered by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee and that the report under consideration had been amended to take into account comments from that Committee.

The following Members asked questions and took part in the debate:

·            Councillor Carol Stanier;

·            Councillor Paul Clark;

·            Councillor Steve Jarvis.

Comments included that there should be a mechanism for complaints to be made by Councillors on behalf of residents and that there should be a shortened version of the Policy that is easier to access by the public.

The Service Director – Customers advised that Councillors could act as advocates, however it was important that customers made the complaint rather than Councillors.

The document had become longer due to the many ways that people now communicated with the Council and a flow chart could be provided to make navigation of the document easier.

The Chief Executive advised that the vast majority of people accessed information through the website or through the Customer Service Centre, where relevant information is given. It was useful to have the full document available for those whose complaints are more complex.

RESOLVED: That the updated Comments, Compliments and Complaints Policy, as contained in Appendix A ,be approved with the following amendments:

(i)      The addition of a flow chart to help customers navigate the document;

(ii)     That a short version of the Policy be made available describing how to make a simple comment, compliment or complaint.

REASON FOR DECISION: To ensure that the NHDC Policy for Comments, Compliments and Complaints is up to date and clear and easy for customers and our staff to understand.