Purpose

Presents the Council’s complaints performance for the financial year 2025/26 and progress made in meeting the standards set out in the Housing Ombudsman Service (“HOS”) Complaint Handling Code and the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman (“LGSCO”) Complaint Handling Code.

Decision

RESOLVED:

a)    To note the significant improvement in the Council’s complaints performance during 2025/26 and welcome the positive impact of the service improvements delivered throughout the year.

b)    To welcome and note the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman Annual Review Letter 2025/26, as set out in Appendix C, which reflects the Council’s sustained positive performance and marks a fourth consecutive year without Ombudsman investigations or adverse findings.

c)     To approve the Housing Ombudsman Service self-assessment, as set out in Appendix D.

d)    To welcome the findings of the Housing Ombudsman Service Complaints Policy Compliance Review at Appendix E and approve the associated revisions to the Complaints Policy, as set out in Appendix F, which further strengthen the Council’s approach to fair, transparent and resident-focused complaint handling.

e)    To welcome and support the updated Complaints Improvement Plan set out at Appendix G, which provides a clear programme of actions to strengthen complaint handling, improve customer experience and embed learning across the Council.

f)      To consider and endorse the response to this report and its approach to complaint handling for 2025/26, as set out in Appendix I.