Issue - meetings

This report informs the Panel about the number of complaints and representations including compliments received during 2018 and 2019 and demonstrates how they have been managed and how they have been used to contribute to service improvement.

The Complaints & Data Protection Team Manager introduced this item to the Panel. She explained that the report considers compliments, complaints and representations received between 1st April 2018 and 31st March 2019 and also provides an analysis of outcomes, trends and learning from complaints which can be used by the service for planning and improved service delivery. 

She said that complaints against schools are governed by different legislation and each school is required to have its own complaints procedure and complaints about schools are not therefore included in this report.

She stated that during the year a total of 106 complaints were processed under the Children’s Social Care statutory complaints procedure or the Council’s Corporate Complaints Procedure. She added that the report explains how the complaints were resolved under the procedures. 

She said there were four referrals to complaints to the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman. 

She said that during the period of the report that 36 compliments were recorded. 

Councillor Liz Hardman asked if there are lessons to be learnt from the number of Stage 1 complaints that are upheld (23%).

The Complaints & Data Protection Team Manager replied that action plans are devised following the end of the process. She added that the majority of complaints were due to a lack of good communication between parties.

Kevin Burnett asked if all the figures in the report were in relation to B&NES employees.

The Complaints & Data Protection Team Manager replied that they were.

The Panel RESOLVED to note the report.