Agenda item

The Research and Performance Officer, Sam Bailey, introduced the report detailing the complaints and compliments received by the Council, and also depicting the social media trends over Quarter 3, and asked the Committee to note the feedback briefing included at appendix A.

Members heard that the Policy and Information Team had employed an Information Officer, responsible for handling complaints and Freedom of Information (FOI) Requests received by the Council, who provided a more consistent approach to complaint handling.

Special mention was made of Planning Support, as although they had closed four of six complaints late, it was clear that complainants had been engaged with. Three of the six complaints were about the time taken to validate applications. All complaints were justified and the responses apologised to customers, explained the reasons for delays and outlined the actions being taken to improve performance. One complaint was about how the website operated for planning applications, and suggested some changes to improve the site. These changes have now been implemented.

During discussion the following matters were raised:

·  There was a desire to be able to see the wording of complaints in the same manner in which the wording of compliments was displayed in the report.

·  The Policy and Performance Officer, Clare Wood, advised that she was working with the Interim Head of Planning Support to create and manage performance indicators which would be monitored from April 2015 onwards. The backlog in Planning Support had been reduced as additional staff had been brought in to assist, and the data depicted improvement.

·  The complaints system RFI had been in place for two years. A recent update had provided further functionality which would allow it to become a holistic correspondence programme, and had introduced a facility for reminders to be sent to Managers regarding complaints within the system that required a response.

·  Issues had arisen regarding complaints received directly by email to Officers when they were on leave. It was suggested that this matter would need to be forwarded to IT to see if there were options for retrieval.

It was stated that all complaints regarding the long-term empty premium had been received from those who had to pay the premium due to their properties being left unoccupied and unfurnished for two years or more, and who had not been eligible for statutory exemptions. It was noted that whilst the long-term empty premium may have affected the renovation of long term derelict homes, the Empty Homes Programme was in place to offer assistance to get properties back into use. Members were interested in how the Private Sector Housing team that managed the Empty Homes Programme worked together with the Revenues team who implemented the Long-Term Empty Premium, and whether the homes that are brought back into use effect the Planning departments housing need figures.

RESOLVED:

1.  That the Quarter 3 feedback briefing be noted.

2.  That the successful implementation of the other MKIP shared services be noted, but due to concerns regarding complaints received by the Planning Support Shared service, that the Interim Head of Planning Support be invited to circulate a briefing note detailing:

a.  A timeline for the implementation of performance improvement measures depicting when these measures are expected to take effect and improve service;

b.  The performance indicators that have returned results to date; and

c.  The financial information detailing budget, spend and the projected savings to be made going forward.

3.  That information be circulated to Members to explain how the Private Sector Housing and Council Tax departments work together to administrate the Council tax assistance regarding the return to use of long term empty properties, and whether the return to use of these properties affects the calculation of the housing need target used by the Spatial Policy team.