Issue - meetings

This annual report sets out complaints performance in Brent Council for the period 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024 and focuses on the nature of complaints and the learning they provide to inform Brent’s future approach to service improvement.

Cabinet RESOLVED:

(1)       To note Brent’s performance in managing and resolving complaints.

(2)       To note (having reviewed) Brent’s self-assessment against the Housing Ombudsman’s Complaint Handling Code in Appendix D of the report.

(3)       To approve referral of the report to the relevant Scrutiny Committees for consideration and comment.

Eligible for call-in: Yes

Deadline for submission of call-in: 6pm on Tuesday 19 November 2024

Councillor Mili Patel (as Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Finance and Resources) introduced a report detailing the Council’s complaints performance for the period 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024. The report focused on the nature of complaints and the learning they could provide to inform Brent Council’s future approach to service improvement as well as including details on complaints performance relating to Adult Social Care and Children’s Social Care, as detailed in Appendices A & B of the report, which it was noted were governed by separate statutory complaint procedures.  Members noted the report also contained (as Appendix C) a comparison of the Council’s performance with other London boroughs provided by the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman alongside the Council’s Housing Management Service Annual Complaints Performance and Service Improvement Report for 2023-2024 (Appendix D) incorporating the Council’s self-assessment against the Housing Ombudsman’s Complaint Handling Code, which was now a requirement of the Housing Ombudsman’s Complaint Handling Code.

Cabinet noted the key headlines relating to complaints performance in 2023-24 along with the outline of the root causes identified and service improvements which had been implemented as a result of the nature of complaints received.  In welcoming the focus on the effective management of performance in relation to complaints, member were also keen to ensure that the outcomes continued to feed into the development of key corporate strategies including the Customer Access and Digital Strategy.

In thanking officers for their efforts in monitoring and managing complaints performance, members felt the issues and areas highlighted as key concerns reflected the nature of current challenges being experienced by many local residents requiring support and also the Council in being able to manage the increased level of demand for key services, especially in relation to housing.  As such the report was welcomed as a means of continuing to focus on the approach towards service improvement for residents

Having considered the report and work being undertaken jointly by Cabinet Members with their relevant Corporate Directors to continue challenging performance RESOLVED:

(1)        To note Brent’s performance in managing and resolving complaints.

(2)        To note (having reviewed) Brent’s self-assessment against the Housing Ombudsman’s Complaint Handling Code in Appendix D of the report.

(3)        To approve referral of the report to the relevant Scrutiny Committees for consideration and comment.