Agenda item

To consider and accept the report and make any comments or recommendations on the complaints procedure in doing so.

To accept the report and note the information

Note: Check whether social housing complaints are part of the complaints process

Submitted - a report by the Head of the Corporate Services Department setting out the Ombudsman for Wales' observations on the Council's arrangements and performance in relation to dealing with complaints and service improvements during 2024/25 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 reiterated that there had been no change in the procedure or the Concerns and Complaints Policy during 2024/2025, and therefore, the content of the Ombudsman's letter was based on the Policy adopted by the Council in 2021.

In addition, it was noted that the report, in response to a request from the Committee, contained more information on the corporate complaints procedure which excluded complaints in the area of Care, Education, Employment and Byw’n Iach. It was noted that a new Customer Care scheme had been adopted in early Summer 2025 as part of the Ffordd Gwynedd Plan work following a rigorous consultation process. The training and awareness raising of the new Customer Care Scheme would not only be a way of reminding officers of the complaints procedure across the Council, but would also improve the service for residents and reduce the number of complaints.

It was reported that the aim of the procedure would be to make the submission of a complaint as easy as possible and to ensure a transparent, open and convenient procedure. Step one would be an informal step that would be resolved immediately, and step 2 would be a formal stage where there would be a specific order and time for the response. It was reiterated that receiving complaints was a means of learning lessons with an officer gathering all the information and collaborating with the appropriate services with a view to seeking continuous improvement. A report on the performance of these services would be submitted to Cabinet twice a year.

Members expressed their thanks for the report and the service was commended for their compliance with the requirements of the Act. The situation was considered to be a very satisfactory one.

During the discussion, the following matters were raised: 

·        Were complaints about social housing part of this process?

·        It was important to learn lessons from the complaints procedure

·        Complaints led to learning and problem solving

·        That the report was a positive one - thanks to the information gathering team

·        The information gave the Committee a better understanding of the field

In response to a question about the meaning of 'intervention rate', it was noted that this was a reference to complaints where the Ombudsman had intervened, which involved further investigations.

In response to a question about the Planning field complaints rate (28% which was much higher than the other services) and what lessons were being learned here, it was noted that these were the complaints that had reached the Ombudsman. It was accepted that the planning service was receiving a high number of complaints which may indicate logically that the complainant was not satisfied with the response/decision. In response to a supplementary question about the slowness of the system or lack of resources, it was noted that there was a different range of reasons for these complaints. It was reiterated that the information on specific services would be presented in a report to Cabinet.

In response to an observation that the number of complaints had increased during 2024/25, it was noted that this was common across the Local Authorities with an increase in complaints to the Ombudsman but a decrease in the number of internal complaints.

RESOLVED

To accept the report and note the information

Note: Check whether social housing complaints are part of the complaints process