Agenda and minutes

Agreed as an accurate record.

To confirm the items of business marked Part I will be considered in public and that items marked Part II will be considered in private.

It was agreed that all items of business would be considered in public.

The Committee was provided with a summary of the evidence which had been provided throughout the review, together with details of the three options which would be available to Members in terms of recommendations of the review, and the advantages and disadvantages of each option :-

·         Retain the current three stage Corporate Complaints Procedure

·         Retain the current three stage Corporate Complaints Procedure with modifications

There could be more contact / intervention with the complainant as part of Stage 1, with a focus on resolution of the complaint to the complainant's satisfaction. Enabling managers/ Assistant Directors/ Head of Service the flexibility to fast track a complaint to the LGO direct from Stage 1, rather than forcing a complainant to go unnecessarily through all the stages of the complaints procedure. This would particularly relate to complaints about Council policy.  

·         Removal of one of the complaint stages and the introduction of a two stage Corporate Complaints Procedure:-

The advantages of this would be to reduce the chances of "complainant fatigue", the saving of officers' time (and cost) in the investigation complaints, particularly as evidence suggested that stage 2 responses were repetitious. Officers would be more focussed on resolution of complaints.

A two stage process would be quicker in terms of resolving complaints, but this would be dependent on the timescale set for each stage. There were various examples of other London Boroughs that had moved to a two stage process and it would be useful for Members to consider the impact on the number of complaints these authorities had received.

The Committee discussed the various options and it was agreed that the preferred option be further explored by officers and the suggested recommendations which would form part of this Committee's final report to Cabinet, be submitted to the next meeting of the Committee.     

RESOLVED –

1.  That the details contained in the report be noted and officers

     be asked to report the suggested recommendations of the

     review to the next meeting of the Committee.

The Committee was provided with a summary of the suggested topic for the Committee's second major review of the municipal year.

Members were reminded that at their held on 26 June 2014, a suggestion of a review topic was made around the area of Enforcement and Anti-Fraud activities, and particularly a review around Public Sector Fraud in relation to social housing.

The Committee was informed that the Audit Commission had reported that Public Sector Fraud had increased by 20% in the last two years. Areas of fraud took place in areas such as the sub-letting of Council homes, the abuse of the 'Single Person' Council Tax Discount etc.   

It was agreed that a draft scoping report, together with a presentation be given at the Committee's next meeting.

RESOLVED –

1.  That the background information provided for this Committee's next review be noted. 

Noted.

Noted.