The Corporate Overview and Scrutiny Committee met on Tuesday 8 September 2026 to discuss customer feedback and complaints, progress on digital innovation, and the council's overview and scrutiny work programmes. Key decisions included noting the progress of the digital innovation programme and supporting a move towards a digital-first approach across the organisation. The committee also agreed to add more detail to future reports on complaint types and to consider regulatory and legal barriers to AI adoption.

Customer Feedback and Complaints Annual Report 2025-26

The committee received an overview of complaints, compliments, and feedback received across the council during the 2025-26 year. Emily Dorbar, Head of Customer Excellence, presented the findings, highlighting that communication and timeliness remain significant themes in resident feedback. Complaint volumes have increased across service areas, with Children and Families Services seeing a 131% rise over the last four years. Despite this increase, the council has demonstrated a growing maturity in its use of complaint information, with improved oversight and reporting arrangements.

Key themes emerging from complaints include:

• Customer experience: 76% of complaints relate to staff conduct, service quality, or service failure.
• Communication: Poor communication, lack of updates, and unclear explanations are frequently cited.
• Timeliness: Performance varies, with only 45% of statutory complaints in Health and Care completed within timescale.
• SEND and EHCP complaints: These dominate the highest risk area within Children and Families, reflecting a national trend.
• Financial assessments and charging: These are a focus for complaints in Health and Care.

The committee discussed the impact of the new Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman Complaint Handling Code, which has reduced the Stage 1 response timescale for corporate complaints from 20 to 10 working days. Concerns were raised about the capacity of services to meet these new timescales, particularly in light of increasing demand and the complexity introduced by AI.

Councillor Kim Stenlaken noted that while timely responses are important, the content of the response also matters, and that parents and guardians will escalate complaints if the outcome is not what they desire. Councillor Rogerson and Councillor Clissett highlighted the increasing complexity of complaints due to the use of AI, which can sometimes break down issues into more numerous, smaller complaints.

The committee made recommendations to consider the contents of the report and to add more detail in next year's report regarding the breakdown of complaint types, including specific information for Waste and Sustainability.

Progress on Digital Innovation and Future Direction

The committee received an update on the council's Digital Innovation Programme, which aims to embed a digital-first approach across the organisation. Councillor Sean Bagguley, Cabinet Member for Finance and Resources, presented the report, highlighting that Staffordshire is already undertaking significant digital innovation and is often ahead of other councils.

The report detailed the successful piloting of AI-powered solutions such as Magic Notes for front-line workers and document translation services. Robotic Process Automation (RPA) has been implemented to alleviate time spent on repetitive manual tasks, with a projected saving of 1,665 hours per year from automating personal budget letters.

However, challenges were also acknowledged, including:

• Leadership visibility: A need for more visible leadership and championing of digital innovation.
• Capacity: Competing council priorities, including Local Government Reorganisation (LGR), impacting the capacity to deliver digital projects.
• Digital literacy: Gaps in digital skills, awareness, and confidence, leading to fear and resistance to change.
• Risk appetite: Variable willingness to test and adopt new technologies.

A Senior Leadership Conference held on 22 July 2026 brought together leaders to discuss how AI can support the organisation and residents, with a strong emphasis on appropriate governance. Discussions generated themes around digital skills, creating a digital-first culture, the potential of AI, realising benefits and efficiencies, and raising the digital profile.

Councillor Craig Humphreyson raised concerns about the potential for a digital-first approach to become digital-only, potentially leaving vulnerable residents behind. He stressed the importance of ensuring residents can still speak to a person if they wish. Councillor Alex Farrell echoed these concerns, particularly in relation to immediate needs during emergencies like flooding, and also highlighted the rise of AI-generated emails and questions from councillors.

Michelle McGinty, Assistant Director for Strategy and Transformation, assured the committee that the approach would not be digital-only and that digital inclusion is a key pillar of the digital innovation strategy. Safeguards are in place, including an AI framework and reviewed governance processes, to manage data security and privacy.

The committee made recommendations to acknowledge the progress made and support the direction of travel towards a digital-first approach. Councillor Philip White proposed an additional recommendation to consider any regulatory or legal barriers to the adoption of AI within councils in future reports.

Overview and Scrutiny Work Programmes Update

The committee received an update on the scrutiny activity across the council's four overview and scrutiny committees. The Corporate Overview and Scrutiny Committee maintains oversight of the combined work programme, which summarises all planned scrutiny activity.

Key upcoming items for the Corporate Overview and Scrutiny Committee include:

• The Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS) working group, which began meeting in July and will continue to gather evidence and interview Cabinet Members.
• The ERP system implementation, scheduled for December.
• An update on Local Government Reorganisation (LGR), expected before Christmas, particularly in light of the recent pause.

Other committees' work programmes were also outlined, including:

• Economy, Infrastructure and Communities: Site visits to Balfour Beatty Vinci and discussions on libraries, rail services, highways, and environmental action. A working group on declining town centres and regeneration is to be established.
• Health and Care: A postponed visit to the West Midlands Ambulance Service, and upcoming discussions on the winter plan, maternity services, elective care, and cancer services.
• Safeguarding and Education: A review of Elective Home Education, updates on Adult Safeguarding, and an overview of unregistered placements.

Councillor Ian Cooper raised the need for more defined information on the financial implications and democratic impact of the pause in Local Government Reorganisation. He also inquired about the council's interface with external bodies like Trading Standards and HMRC in safeguarding efforts.

The committee agreed to note the work programme update report and the planned scrutiny activities for the upcoming municipal year.