Agenda item

To accept the report and provide any comments or recommendations regarding the complaints system which results from receiving the Annual Letter of the Ombudsman for Wales for the year 2022/23.

DECISION:

To accept the report

A report was submitted by the Head of Corporate Support Department who presented the observations of the Ombudsman for Wales on the Council's arrangements and performance in relation to dealing with complaints and service improvements during 2022/23 thus highlighting successes, challenges and developments. Members were reminded that the Committee had a statutory requirement to ensure that the Council had effective arrangements in place to deal with complaints. It was added that there had been no change in the procedure or the Concerns and Complaints Policy during 2022/23 and, therefore, the content of the Ombudsman's letter was based on the Policy adopted by the Council in 2021.

It was reported that the Annual Letter had been received on 17 August 2023. Reference was made to some comments and recommendations made by the Ombudsman, which included, “I would encourage Cyngor Gwynedd, and specifically your Audit and Governance Committee, to use this data to better understand your performance on complaints and consider how well good complaints handling is embedded throughout the Authority”.

Reference was made to the relevant training that Committee Members had received (Overview of good practice in Improving Services of Complaints - November 2022) along with an observation that an amended letter had been received rectifying an error to statistics of the Code of Conduct Complaints.

Gratitude was expressed for the report.

In response to a comment that the number of complaints had reduced and whether or not the reason for this was accurate recording, it was noted that the record was realistic and that every complaint received was recorded (before being referred to the relevant service). It was added that the content of the complaints was the Cabinet's responsibility and that the Committee was responsible for ensuring the Council's arrangements in response to complaints.

In response to an observation that 17% of complaints had been received for 'Complaints Handling', it was noted that this was either because the Ombudsman's Office dealt with complaints differently to the Council or that the relevant service had not fully responded / understood the procedure. It was reiterated that training was being encouraged and that lessons were being learnt. It was also noted that some services were worse than others, it was noted that every service was improving and that some were being targeted to receive further training.

In a response to an observation about a further / detailed report, it was noted that there was no intention to submit more information as the responsibility of the Committee was to ensure effective arrangements within the Council to deal with complaints. In response to an additional observation regarding what services needed to do to improve response, this year, in accordance with the statutory requirement, it was noted that the Cabinet verified the role of services, and that the Committee was responsible for verifying the contents of the letter. In response, the Chair noted that a snapshot of what was submitted to the Ombudsman was before the Committee and that there was no information about the procedure.

RESOLVED:

To accept the report.