Issue - meetings

Report attached.

The report sought to update the Committee on the latest improvements relating to the management of Complaints received by Housing Services in quarter 3.

In the period between October and December 2019 there had been the following number of complaints:

Repairs Complaints Stage 1:  65

Repairs Complaints Stage 1 Upheld:  39 Upheld / Partly Upheld

Repairs Complaints Stage 2:  9

Repairs Complaints Stage 2 Upheld:  4 Upheld / Partly Upheld (3 still under investigation with the CEO)

Members were advised that a new performance and strategy team was being set up in Housing which would see a head of service appointed to directly manage the complaints function, giving more focus and rewriting processes to make the service more robust. It was hoped  to begin recruitment for the head of service by the end of February.

A meeting had been held with the gas contractor to improve performance and reduce complaints. An action plan had been put in place with the gas contractor. Meetings have also re-commenced with the main repairs contractor, following recruitment of the new Repairs Manager, where complaints were raised and discussed to identify trends.

The Housing Complaints Team were working on complaints being logged via the current Housing Management system ‘Open Housing’. The system would  be designed to record data and report in a more effective way, to enhance the learning from complaints and implement service improvement. This would also allow all services in Housing to be aware of ongoing complaints at all levels, when dealing with customers.

During the debate Members felt that it would be useful in future if a breakdown of the complaint reason and the are of the service could be identified.

Members noted the contents of the report.