Agenda item

The Customer Service, Complaints and Standards Manager presented the report to the Committee to provide information on the Council’s performance in relation to its customer service standards and the number of compliments, comments and complaints received for Quarter 4 2024/25 (1^st January 2025 to 31^st March 2025).  The Council’s overall performance for 2024/25 would also be presented.

A breakdown of the key customer service standards by quarterly period, together with the target and the cumulative performance for each standard, were attached at Appendixes 1 and 2.

Revenues had achieved 88% of incoming calls answered within 20 seconds for Quarter 4 2024/25 (the target had been 70%).  Cumulative performance for all 2024/25 was 87% (exceeding the target of 70%).

Benefits had achieved 95% of incoming calls answered within 20 seconds for Quarter 4 2024/25 (the target had been 80%).  Cumulative performance for all 2024/25 was 95% (exceeding the target of 80%).

In Quarter 4 2024/25, Revenues and Benefits had received 2,819 and 1,151 emails.  In Quarter 3 2024/25, Revenues and Benefits had received 2,299 and 1,037 (this data had only been collected from October 2024).

Contact Centres had achieved 79% of incoming calls answered within 20 seconds for Quarter 4 2024/25 (the target had been 80%).  Cumulative performance for all 2024/25 was 77% (the target was 80%).

In Quarter 4 2024/25, Contact Centres had acknowledged all 8,101 email enquiries received within 1 working day (meeting the target of 100%).  All emails had been replied to within 8 working days (meeting the target of 100%).

For the year 2024/25, Contact Centres had received 32,382 email enquiries – 100% had been answered within 8 working days.

Contact Centres had answered 89% of incoming Live Chats within 20 seconds for Quarter 4 2024/25 (the target had been 90%).  Cumulative performance for all 2024/25 was also 89% (the target was 90%).

For the Corporate Telephone Standard, 91% if incoming calls had been answered within 20 seconds in Quarter 4 2024/25 (above standard).

The majority of departments had achieved and exceeded the corporate target of 90%, with the exception of the following: Revenues & Benefits; Planning & Planning Policy; and Environmental Health.

Cumulative performance for all 2024/25 was also 91% (the target had been 90%).

The number of unanswered calls in Quarter 4 2024/25 was 7% (within target).  The cumulative performance for all 2024/25 was also 7% (the target had been under 10%).

59 Compliments had been received during Quarter 4 2024/25.  Go!Active had received 8 Customer Feedback Form Compliments in Quarter 4 2024/25.

15 Comments had been received, with all acknowledged and passed to the respective department within the target time of 5 working days during Quarter 4 2024/25.  Go!Active had received 14 Customer Feedback Form Comments in Quarter 4 2024/25.

59 Stage 1 Complaints had been recorded in Quarter 4 2024/25, with 10 M.P. Enquiries received during the same period.  100% of Stage 1 Complaints and M.P. Enquiries had been responded to within the Council’s Customer Service Standard of 10 working days.

It was noted that during recent discussions with the M.P.’s Office, the Complaints Team had highlighted the scope of the Council’s complaints policy.  The M.P.’s Office had advised that in most cases the enquiries received had been concerning housing decisions, which fell outside the scope of the Council’s Complaints Policy.  As a result, the M.P.’s Office had created email and letter templates to accurately signpost customers.

14 Stage 2 Complaints had been recorded in Quarter 4 2024/25.  94% of Stage 2 Complaints had been responded to within the Council’s Customer Service Standard of 20 working days (1 Stage 2 Complaint response had been sent on the 21^st working day).

3 Ombudsman (Local Government) Complaints had been received for investigation during Quarter 4 2024/25 in Quarter 4 2024/25.  No fault was found by the Local Government Ombudsman for any of these Complaints.

The report detailed the service improvements made following receipt of applicable Comments and Complaints.

The following table provided a summary of performance for the Compliments, Comments and Complaints received in 2024/25, with comparative data from previous years:

When comparing 2024/25 to 2023/24, the following was noted in the report:

·       An increase in Compliments;

·       A large decrease in M.P. Enquiries;

·       A large increase in Stage 1 Complaints;

·       An increase in Stage 2 Complaints; and,

·       Improvement in Stage 1 Complaints average response time (and within the target percentage).

The Annual Summary comparison for 2024/25 indicated that the Council had a very good and transparent Complaints system and was meeting analysis and regulatory requests from the Ombudsman.  The second annual report to the Ombudsman would be presented at the Committee’s Extraordinary meeting in August 2025.

To a question on the drop of M.P. Enquiries from previous years, the Customer Service, Complaints and Standards Manager informed with the change in M.P. following the General Election 2024, a change in office administration had also taken place.  The Council was now working closely with case workers and it was noted that many previous M.P. Enquiries had been regarding Council service requests.

Both the Council and Derbyshire County Council had previously been granted less time to handle enquiries, resulting in premature Complaints being submitted.  This time was now being granted, leading to a reduction of Complaints and more customers successfully accessing the requested Council services.

A Member noted the results were good though asked why there had been a large increase in Formal Stage 1 Complaints for 2024/25.  The Customer Standards and Complaints Officer informed Informal Stage 1 Complaints were now included in Formal Stage 1 Complaints – while the number looked higher in reality it remained consistent with previous data sets.

The Chair noted the letter sent to those falling behind on the payment of their Council Tax could read as ‘abrupt’.  The  Customer Service, Complaints and Standards Manager explained it was a standard template but a review of the letter was currently taking place with the Council Tax Team.

Moved by Councillor Louise Fox and seconded by Councillor Rita Turner

RESOLVED that the Customer Services Scrutiny Committee note the overall performance on Customer Service Standards and Compliments, Comments and Complaints.

The Customer Service, Complaints and Standards Manager and Customer Standards and Complaints Officer left the meeting at 10:16 hours.