12 Annual Complaints Report 2023-2024 PDF 244 KB
To consider a report of the Cabinet Member for Finance & Resources.
The report provides an overview of complaints received by the Council and the lessons learnt from complaints in 2023-24. The report includes complaints received by the local authority which are managed by the ‘Complaints Service’.
The Cabinet is recommended to:
(1) Note the information contained in the Annual Complaints Report.
(2) Note the positive progress being taken to improve complaints handling across the council.
Officer contact: Claire Grindlay on 0161 474 4191 or email claire.grindlay@stockport.gov.uk
Additional documents:
Minutes:
The Cabinet Member for Finance & Resources (Councillor Jilly Julian) submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) providing an overview of complaints handled by the council and giving examples of lessons learnt from complaints during 2023/24.
RESOLVED - That the information contained in the Annual Complaints Report, including the positive progress being taken to improve complaints handling across the council, be noted.
4 Annual Complaints Report 2023-2024 PDF 760 KB
To consider a report of the Executive Director for Corporate and Support Services.
The report provides an overview of complaints received by the Council and the lessons learnt from complaints in 2023-24. The report includes complaints received by the local authority which are managed by the ‘Complaints Service’.
The Scrutiny Committee is recommended to note the report.
Officer contact: Claire Grindlay on 0161 474 4191 or email claire.grindlay@stockport.gov.uk
Additional documents:
Minutes:
The Executive Director for Corporate and Support Services submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) providing an overview of complaints received by the council and the lessons learnt from complaints in 2023-24. The report included complaints received by the local authority which were managed by the ‘Complaints Service’.
The Cabinet Member for Finance & Resources (Councillor Jilly Julian) attended the meeting to respond to councillor’s questions.
The following comments were made/ issues raised: -
· Members noted a significant increase in the numbers of complaints to Children’s Services related to SEN and EHCP. Members acknowledged that this was a trend across the country and asked what percentage of the complaints related to EHCP were completed by the council within the 20 week deadline. In response it was stated that those numbers would be reported through the Children and Families Portfolio Performance & Resources Report.
· It was also reported that the Director of Children’s Services had made concerted efforts to bring about improvements, particularly in terms of streamlining the approach for processing EHCPs.
· EHCPs had been viewed as a way of unlocking support for children and the service was moving towards ensuring that children were supported in the absence of an EHCP.
· The numbers of complaints related to EHCPs continued to rise as the project to streamline the EHCP process was ongoing.
· Members were pleased to note positive trends within the report; it appeared that there were fewer escalations of complaints from stage one to stage two; this indicated that complaints were being dealt with effectively.
· The numbers of complaints from 2022/23 to now showed with significant increases. Members queried whether the baseline should be set from years preceding 2022/23.
RESOLVED – That the report be noted.