Audit and Governance Committee

15 January 2024

Managing Unreasonable Customer Behaviour Protocol

For Decision

Portfolio Holder:	Cllr S Flower, Leader of the Council

Executive Director:	J Mair, Director of Legal & Democratic

Report Author:	Marc Eyre

Title:	Service Manager for Assurance

Tel:	01305 224358

Email:	marc.eyre@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk

Report Status: Public

Brief Summary: Most customers that contact the council do so politely and respectful of Council employees and other workers. Even the most challenging customer may have a valid point that needs to be addressed. However there are exceptional circumstances where behaviour can present an issue to wellbeing or result in an excessive amount of time being spent in response.

At the 9 July 2021 meeting the Committee received a Corporate Complaint report that incorporated the Council’s first Unreasonable Behaviours Protocol. This set out the process for how the Council manages vexatious complainants and contact, in addition to aggression, actual/attempted violence and hate incidents. The protocol is supported by a schedule of customers whose contact has been deemed “unreasonable", and is made available to Council services on a risk based need to know basis, as well as made available to councillors.

Inclusion and removal from the schedule is managed via the Unreasonable Behaviours Panel, which is chaired by the Service Manager for Assurance and includes representation from a number of key services areas – complaints; customer services and health and safety. Where a service has escalated a customer for potential inclusion, the relevant operations manager will attend in a non-voting capacity to brief the panel on the incident(s). There are currently twelve customers recorded on the schedule, which demonstrates that it is in exceptional circumstances that individuals are included. The associated behaviours do however present a disproportionate amount of time to manage. Cases are reviewed on an annual basis, and where behaviours have improved, the individual is removed from the schedule.

Since the protocol was ratified by the Committee in July 2021, a number of minor amendments have been made to the process, to reflect learnings since the protocol was first operative. In particular, the risk of challenge to the panel’s decision has been reduced by improved communication to the customer setting out in more detail why they have been included. In some instances it is necessary to divert email correspondence to a single point of contact, and in such instances ward councillors are advised to determine whether alternative arrangements are necessary in order to ensure access continues to the customer’s elected representative. The title of the protocol has been amended, to clarify that it relates to customer behaviour, and not to be confused with the Violence, Aggression and Harassment at Work policy.

Recommendation: To endorse the revised Managing Unreasonable Customer Behaviour protocol.

Reason for Recommendation: To manage challenging customer behaviour and protect Council workers (whether employees, volunteers or elected councillors).

Financial Implications

None

Environmental Implications

None

Well-being and Health Implications

The protocol is designed to protect Council workers against the negative effect of vexatious, aggressive or violent behaviour.

Other Implications

None

Risk Assessment

HAVING CONSIDERED: the risks associated with this decision; the level of risk has been identified as:

Current Risk:	Low

Residual Risk:	Low

Equalities Impact Assessment

Completed 12 July 2019

Appendices

Managing Unreasonable Customer Behaviours Protocol

Background Papers

Minutes of Audit and Governance Committee 9 July 2021