North Ayrshire Council always seeks to deliver the best services possible to its customers and residents, but it is recognised that dissatisfaction will sometimes occur. When it does, we want to know what went wrong, why it went wrong and what we can do to make things right.

The council recognises that valuable lessons can be learnt from complaints which are defined as being expressions of dissatisfaction from members of the public about actions, or lack of actions, or about the standard of service provided by or on behalf of the council.

The council’s complaint handling procedure (CHP) has two stages for handling complaints from the public.

Stage One complaints (also known as Frontline Resolution) are straightforward, non-complex complaints the council can resolve at the initial point of contact or as close to the point of service delivery as possible. The council has up to five working days to resolve these.

Stage Two complaints (also known as Investigations) are complaints the council is typically unable to resolve at Stage One and needs more time to carry out further investigation. This may be because the nature of the complaint is complex, serious or high risk. The council has up to 20 working days to resolve these.

This report details the council’s complaint handling performance covering financial year 2023 to 2024 (1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024). Performance is measured via several Scottish Public Services Ombudsman indicators (some of which have national targets) and complaint data relating to previous years has been included in certain sections to allow comparisons to be made.

Reporting complaints is a statutory requirement and is monitored by Audit Scotland.

This report has been reviewed for accessibility prior to publication.

The council received 1,948 complaints during 2023 and closed 2,039.

The table below provides a breakdown of the closed complaints per Directorate.

The following tables highlight complaint volumes per directorate under each stage.

Although there is no target for the volume of complaints handled under each Stage, the council seeks to maximise closure at Stage One wherever possible and 93% were handled at this Stage during the period.

Some Services handled all their complaints at Stage One.

Some Services that received higher complaint volumes than other Services handled very few complaints at Stage Two, notably Building Services, Housing, Streetscene and Waste Services due to the nature of the complaints received.

Whilst 46% of all complaints received during the year related to Waste Services (the majority being missed bin collections or assisted pull outs), the Service empties over 102,000 household waste bins each week. As this equates to approximately 4.9 million collections over the year, only 0.02% of all bins collected resulted in complaints being received. Good progress continues to be made in the service with a 31% reduction in complaints compared to the previous year and a 40% reduction when comparing complaints from 2021. Ongoing challenges remain in the service such as absence levels and these are being handled and managed appropriately.

The table below shows a comparison of the volume of complaints received over the last three years:

A 26% drop in complaints received when comparing 2023 with the previous year. The decrease could be partly attributable to the complaint page in the council’s website being enhanced, which now includes more information what the council does not deem a complaint and offers appropriate routes to raise such matters.

The volume closed on time in the table above includes extended complaints that met their new due dates.

This section provides details of complaints not closed on time under each Stage and includes extended complaints that did not meet their new timescales.

These complaints breached timescale because a complaint handler was unable to contact a complainant to discuss their complaint, a complaint was passed to a complaint handler who was unavailable due to sickness absence and operational pressures. Extensions could have been considered for two of these complaints given they were closed within the extra five working day extension allowance.

Multiple reasons were noted as to why these complaints did not meet timescale, including delays in complaints being directed to the correct Services, awaiting information to progress complaints and employee availability. Extensions could have been considered for the vast majority of these given they were closed within the extra five working day extension allowance.

Various reasons were provided as to why these complaints did not meet timescale, with the main reason being complainants not being available to assist with investigations.

There were various reasons these complaints did not meet timescale, including complaint handlers, employees and/or complainants not being available to progress investigations.

Multiple reasons were given for complaints not closed on time, including complaint handlers and complainants being unavailable to progress complaints, complainants/third parties being unavailable to assist with investigations and resourcing issues (including employee availability).

Of the 199 Place complaints not closed on time, 66% could have been considered for extension as they were closed within the extra five working day extension allowance.

Regarding Waste Services complaints, see additional commentary in next section.

This complaint breached timescale because the complainant requested a change in complaint handler. This complaint should have been considered for timescale extension.

These complaints breached timescale due to various reasons, with the main reasons being employee availability and operational pressures. All six complaints could have been considered for timescale extensions.

Several complaints breached timescale due to a change in senior manager and a small number breached as the complainants were unavailable. Some of these could have had their timescales extended.

This complaint breached timescale as additional checks were required at response approval stage.

Key topics for upheld and partially upheld complaints for services are listed below. Services will not be listed if there were low complaint volumes that did not allow meaningful analysis.

‘Employee actions (alleged or perceived)’ appears as a key topic for some services, but the definition is broad and has been used where complainants either alleged or perceived employee actions or behaviour to be unacceptable. Whilst investigations may determine this is not always the case, where unacceptable behaviour was identified by Services appropriate action will have been taken to address.

The average time in working days to close complaints under both Stages during the year is noted below. Values for previous years have been included to allow comparisons to be made. Any complaints that had their timescales extended have been excluded from the calculations.

The average time to close complaints under both Stages has consistently exceeded target.

The tables below detail Services that did not meet the average time in working days for a response under either Stage. Services that met the target are not listed and any complaints that had their timescales extended have been excluded from the calculations.

One Finance complaint was closed on working day 21, resulting in the five working day average target not being met for the Service.

One Planning complaint was closed on working day 47 due to employee unavailability and one Protective Services complaint was closed on working day 45 due to the complexity of the issues raised. These complaints could have been considered for timescale extension.

A small number of complaints were closed out with the 20 working days timescale, resulting in the target not being met. Some of these complaints could have had their timescales extended.

A Mental Health Stage One complaint was closed on working day 15, resulting in the target not being met.

103 complaints had their timescales extended during the year (81 at Stage One and 22 at Stage Two). The complaints related to various Services across all Directorates.

There were various reasons for extending, including complainants, third parties and employees being unavailable to assist or support with investigations and/or letter approvals, obtaining additional information to support investigations and resourcing/operational issues. Of the 103 complaints that had their timescales extended, 80% were closed within their new due dates.

Up to 31 March 2021, a complaint that meets our complaint criteria could be upheld, partially upheld or not upheld. From 1 April 2021, a fourth outcome became available to use called ‘Resolved’. Resolved complaints are where the council has taken action to address the problem or issue without making a decision on whether there were any failings (this would happen where we agree a solution with the complainant at the outset without needing to actually investigate the complaint).

The charts below detail the number of complaints upheld, partially upheld, not upheld or resolved under both Stages.

Of all complaints upheld and partially upheld at Stage One, just over half related to Waste Services and in particular bin collections.

55% of all Resolved complaints also related to Waste Services (again mainly missed bin collections), indicating these complainants simply wanted their bins collected without the need for investigation.

Complaints that were not upheld related to policies, regulations or were complaints that were poor quality/unfounded.

All Stage Two complaints that were upheld or partially upheld were split across multiple Services across all Directorates.

Of the 44% of complaints not upheld, those decisions were reached for various reasons, including the application of polices and regulations and complaints that were unsubstantiated.

The tables below detail the outcomes at each stage covering the last three years:

In terms of the tables above:

Resolved complaints are complaints where the council has taken action to address a problem/issue without making a decision on whether there were any failings. This would happen where the council agree a solution with the complainant at the outset without any need to actually investigate the complaint

Upheld complaints are complaints where something has gone wrong/not happened and the council needs to take steps to address.

Partially Upheld complaints are complaints that have multiple complaint elements, some of which are upheld, and the rest are not

Not Upheld complaints are complaints that have not been upheld for the following reasons:

• they related to policies or regulations
• upon investigation they proved to be unfounded/unsubstantiated
• they were in fact something else, for example service requests, queries, observations etc

Council services continually seek to identify improvements in service delivery and complaint information is analysed regularly to inform service improvements. Some improvements were implemented as a result of complaints received during the year and a selection is noted below.

Over 230 compliments were recorded cross-council during the year and whilst they cannot all be highlighted in this report, a selection is noted below.

• “I just wanted to let you know how impressed I am with the Recovery Development Worker. Yesterday was the first time I spoke with him, and I was really struck by his high level of motivation, honesty and very obviously genuine desire to help and support people. He is like a breath of fresh air. We don’t give positive feedback often enough so wanted to let you know”
• “I’ve had an issue regarding arranging a special uplift and made a number of calls to your Contact Centre. Every time I called your operators were very helpful and considerate. They’ve to be commended because every time they answer a call they don’t know what that call is going to be about and have to rely on their considerable knowledge to try and answer or resolve it”
• “Thank you to Waste Services for following up on a complaint I made about my waste bins being missed. They have not been missed since so thank you!”
• A number of people have complimented the Licensing Team regarding their help and support regarding a short term let process for a number of hosts
• “I just want to highlight how fantastic the team at Ardrossan Library are. They go out of their way to show a welcoming, friendly environment. The time and effort they put in with kids (and adults alike) at the Monday toddler club is just brilliant. The kids look forward to it all week long”
• “To the staff at Bartonholm Recycling Centre, every time I go there I see them out helping folk get their discarded stuff away safely. And it’s always done with a smile. It must be a tough job in all weathers but they’re still so cheery and polite! Good on you, guys. You could deliver lessons in customer care!”
• “I recently wrote to you regarding the little garden area outside Largs station. I was absolutely delighted to see that the area has been cleared of weeds and litter and bedding plants have been planted. It all looks really pretty so thank you to Streetscene who carried out the planting. What a difference it makes”
• “I recently made a complaint to your Property Management department about some issues with scaffolding. Just wanted to say it got fixed immediately and you even fixed up the gate. Thank you to whoever came out to fix it. Absolute brilliant job”
• Exceptional feedback received for the Universal Early Years service which has resulted in an employee being invited to present at a European Conference on infant feeding.
• “My family and I like everything your Refugee Team does for us Ukrainians. Just want to say big thank you for everything. Incredible attitude towards us and everything is easy and simple.

Stage One (also known as Frontline Resolution) aims to resolve straightforward customer complaints that require little or no investigation. Any employee may deal with complaints at this stage, and they can be resolved via any channel. The main principle is to seek resolution at the earliest opportunity and as close to the point of service delivery as possible.

Stage One complaints must be responded to within five working days unless an extension (a maximum of five additional working days) is requested and approved by a senior manager or above. The council should, however, always aim to resolve these types of complaints within five working days.

Not all complaints are suitable for Stage One and not all complaints will be satisfactorily resolved at that stage. Complaints therefore handled at Stage Two (also known as Investigations) typically require a detailed examination before the col can state its position. These complaints may already have been considered at Stage One, or they may have been identified from the outset as being complex, serious or high risk and needing immediate investigation.

Stage Two complaints must be responded to within 20 working days unless an extension is approved by senior manager in conjunction with the customer. Stage Two complaints require a written response, signed by a senior manager.

When an expression of dissatisfaction is received the council determines if the issue falls into one (or more) six complaint categories:

• A service the council should be providing is not being provided or is not available
• A request for a service was provided but not to an appropriate standard
• A request for service has not been answered or actioned within the agreed timescale
• A council employee was rude, unhelpful or unprofessional
• A council employee did not attend an appointment or call-out on a date/time agreed
• The complaint relates to a policy (internal or external)

If the issue being raised relates to one or more of the above, the matter is considered a complaint and will be recorded and handled as such. If not, the matter will be handled as a request for a service, observation or enquiry and actioned accordingly.