Agenda item

To provide members with Q2 performance for housing complaints and any Housing Ombudsman determination for Q2 2024/25.

The Chair invited the Group Head of Housing, Wellbeing and Communities to introduce the report to members.  He outlined the report that provided details of the Council’s complaints handling performance and determinations during Quarter 2.  Performance for Stage 1 complaints had improved from 62% to 72% and for Stage 2 complaints it had declined to 67% down from an all-time high of 97% in Quarter 1.  However, both remained within target and were an improvement on the previous year.  The decline was because of staff sickness and annual leave with the majority of the decline occurring in August and September.  It was explained that Stage 2 complaints had a smaller compliment of staff available to deal with them due to the escalation process.  The number of formal complaints received about the repairs service compared to the same period in 2024-2025 had reduced with 42 received this Quarter compared to 71 received  compared to the previous year and the number of compliments received had increased.  The Council had received five Housing Ombudsman determinations, set out at paragraph 4.2, including one for severe maladministration for which the decision had been fully reviewed by officers to ensure the circumstances did not arise again.  Three of the five determinations referred to historical cases, due to the Housing Ombudsman moving to a statutory function and catching up on cases from 2020.  The Housing Ombudsman’s annual performance report for 2023-2024 was attached at appendix 6 and although maladministration had increased it remained at a similar level to other peer group local housing authorities of the same size.

The Chair invited members to make comments or ask questions.  It was asked if there were any further undetermined historical cases?  The Group Head of Housing, Wellbeing and Communities advised he was aware of some recent determinations and undertook to liaise with the Business Improvement Manager and would advise members of the current position.  He clarified the process when dealing with Stage 1 and Stage 2 complaints and advised that staff involved in a stage 1 complaint could not deal with the complaint if it escalated to stage 2, usually a manager resulting in a smaller pool of staff able to deal with those complaints.  He confirmed that other Council staff were able to deal with Stage 2 complaints, such as the Wellbeing and Community Team who had been positive in responding to requests.    

The Committee noted the contents of the report and that all orders and recommendations have been compiled with.