Issue - meetings

To consider a report of the Senior Assurance Officer Complaints.

Councillors received a report of the Senior Assurance Officer Complaints, which provided the committee with an update on the numbers, types and outcomes of complaints made against services in Dorset Council during 2022/23.

Councillors discussed the issues arising from the report and discussion covered the following areas:

·       A point was raised about the targets set in this area and whether the format of the data needed to be reviewed

·       Information provided an opportunity to show how the council was addressing complaints and provided a focus on learning and the implementation of change where required

Councillor P Brown left the meeting at this point.

·       The referral of some complaints to the Local Government Ombudsman, provided an independent assessment of the action being taken by the council

·       There had been an increase in the number of complaints being dealt with by the team

·       Levels of councillor code of conduct complaints received were considered and information provided on work being undertaken with the Dorset Association of Parish and Town Councils to identify issues and potential areas for training

·       Support provided to officers in the Complaints Team was discussed.

The Chairman thanked the Senior Assurance Officer Complaints and asked that the thanks of the committee also be passed to all team members.