Agenda item

The Leader introduced the next report, which was a policy review of the Customer Feedback - Compliments, Comments and Complaints Policy.

The purpose of the report was to seek Cabinet approval of the amended policy.

The primary driver was to simplify and refine the policy and outline how Newport City Council administered customer feedback. 

The policy remained relevant and continued to reflect the latest statutory and legislative requirements.

There is also an annual report on complaints, comments, and compliments performance and this was on the work programme for later in the year.

The main priority for the review was to simplify and refine the policy whilst clearly outlining how Newport City Council administered Corporate and Social Services complaints.

The Compliments, Comments and Complaints policy was based on the model document published by the Complaints Standards Authority.  As a result of revisions to the policy, it would ensure that residents’ expectations were managed from the outset and a clear complaints process was followed.

The Public Services Ombudsman for Wales (PSOW) had legal powers to investigate complaints about public services, was independent of all government bodies and issued a model complaint handling guidance policy in 2020. Their feedback was considered in the policy amendments.

The policy remained relevant and continued to reflect the latest statutory and legislative requirements.

As a listening council, complaints were valued, and feedback was used as an opportunity to improve the services provided.

The absence of complaints did not necessarily indicate excellent services – just as an increase in complaints did not necessarily indicate poor services.

o   Simplification and refinements to the Policy.

o   Refusal criteria detailed.

o   Clarity between processes for Corporate and Social Services Complaints.

o   A reduction in timeframe for accepting Corporate Complaints from 12 months to six months.

o   Including performance monitoring details.

Comments of Cabinet Members:

§  Councillor Batrouni emphasised that the public services ombudsman wrote to all councils to ensure that the complements and complaints system was consistent, and that Newport City Council was adhering, as a required.  In addition, the Council was not only adhering to those requirements but strive to seek excellence, which was a never-ending process.  The Council would continue to be customer facing that would deal with the concerns of residents and would learn from their comments, both complimentary and critical.

§  Councillor Davies supported Councillor Batrouni’s comments and understood that the report was a review on how the complaints were managed and this was a process to ensure that we were listening to residents and responding to their concerns. Councillor Davies also welcomed the readability and accessibility of the document for residents.

§  Councillor Hughes mentioned that whilst the focus was on the negative however recently, social care had introduced the complementary feedback into their briefings which was an opportunity to recognise the fabulous work in social care.  This week a resident sent a letter praising a member of staff in the reablement team and moving forward how this would help to acknowledge successes and recognise the importance of not only complaints but also compliments.

§  Councillor Marshall also mentioned the positive feedback regarding members of staff. Whilst it was important to learn from feedback regarding complaints, it was hard to learn from compliments and Cabinet Members and staff had to capture and focus on positive comments to provide the confidence to live, learn and promote when staff to well and bring forward development of this culture.

§  Councillor Clarke considered that the report was a positive move and the start of the process.  The Cabinet Member for Strategic Planning, Regulation and Housing advised that this would not happen overnight and was an ongoing challenge.  Everyone in the council would get behind this report which would benefit the residents of Newport.

Leader all feedback was important and as a listening council were behind this and used as an opportunity to improve and share good practice.

Decision

Cabinet reviewed and approved the proposed amendments to the policy.