Annual complaints report 2024-2025

Summary of report

Governing body response

Read the Governing body response (PDF 185KB) to the 2024-25 Annual Complaints and Service Improvement Report and Self Assessment against Housing Ombudsman code.

Annual self-assessment against the Housing Ombudsman and Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman codes

Read the council's latest self assessment (PDF 431KB) against the Housing Ombudsman code. Read the council's latest self assessment against the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman code (PDF, 215KB).

Summary of report

Complaint Volumes 2023-2024 2024-2025
Stage 1 239 136
Stage 2 38 32
Ombudsman (Enquiries and Investigations) 14 7

Reduction of 43% in Stage 1 complaints

There has been an 43% overall reduction in the number of stage 1 complaints received, the largest fall in complaints continues to be from Waste Services which saw 35 stage 1 complaints received in 2023/24 compared with 7 received for 2024/25. Parking saw a decrease in complaints at this stage compared with 2023/24 where 26 stage 1 complaints were received compared with 5 received in 2024/25. The Housing Landlord service also saw a decrease in number of stage 1 complaints received with 68 received in 2023/24 and 46 in 2024/25.

The number of service requests received and dealt with by the Complaints team before escalation to a formal complaint as part of the Council’s two stage complaint process in these service areas is either equal or greater than number of stage 1 complaints received during the year: Waste Services (127) for issues relating to missed bin collections and damaged bins, Housing Service (45) for issues relating to rubbish in communal property areas, neighbour issues, dog noise and fouling. Parking (30) for issues relating to parking permits, penalty charge notices (PCNs) and vehicles causing an obstruction on the highway.

Stage 1 Complaints upheld or partially upheld have decreased by 42%

The number of complaints being upheld or partially upheld at stage 1 have decreased by 42% in 2024-25 compared with the 2023-24 year. The largest number of upheld and partially upheld complaints at stage 1 were for the following departments -Housing Landlord Service (27), Housing Strategy and Options (6), Environmental Health (4).

2024/25 Complaints breakdown compared with 2023/24 year:

Service Area Stage  2023/2024 2024/2025 2024/2025 Remedy
Benefits  Stage 1 7 9 Upheld – 2
Not upheld – 5
No further action – 2
  Stage 2 1 3 Not upheld – 3
  Ombudsman 0 0 Nil
Building Control  Stage 1 0 1 Upheld - 1
  Stage 2 0 0 Nil
  Ombudsman 0 0 Nil
Case Management (Place) Stage 1 0    
  Stage 2 0    
  Ombudsman 0    
Community Safety Stage 1 0 0 Nil
  Stage 2 0 0 Nil
  Ombudsman 0 0 Nil
Compliance & Governance  Stage 1 1 1 Not upheld - 1
  Stage 2 1 0 Nil
  Ombudsman 0 0 Nil
Corporate Debt Stage 1 8 6 Upheld – 1
Not upheld – 4
Partially upheld – 1
  Stage 2 2 0 Nil
  Ombudsman 2 0 Nil
Customer Services  Stage 1 2 2 Upheld – 1
Not Upheld - 1
  Stage 2 0 1 Not Upheld - 1
  Ombudsman 0 0 Nil
Economic Development Stage 1 0 0 Nil
  Stage 2 0 0 Nil
  Ombudsman 0 0 Nil
Elections Stage 1 1 0 Nil
  Stage 2 0 0 Nil
  Ombudsman 0 0 Nil
Environmental Health  Stage 1 5 5 Upheld – 1
Not upheld – 1
Partially upheld – 3
  Stage 2 5 0 Nil
  Ombudsman 0 0 Nil
Grounds Maintenance  Stage 1 13 4 Upheld – 1
Not upheld – 1
Partially upheld – 2
  Stage 2 0 0 Nil
  Ombudsman 0 0 Nil
Highways Stage 1 3 0 Nil
  Stage 2 1 0 Nil
  Ombudsman 0 0 Nil
Housing Services  Stage 1 68 46 Upheld – 13
Not Upheld – 17
Partially Upheld – 14
No further action – 1
Withdrawn – 1
  Stage 2 10 7 Upheld – 1
Not Upheld – 3
Partially Upheld – 2
Withdrawn – 1
  Ombudsman 5 1 Upheld – 1
Housing Strategy & Options Stage 1 26 24 Upheld - 4
Not Upheld – 18
Partially Upheld – 2
  Stage 2 3 5 Not Upheld – 4
Partially Upheld – 1
  Ombudsman 0 0 Nil

Housing Strategy and Options/Private Sector Housing (Joint complaint)

Stage 2   1

Partially Upheld – 1

Human Resources Stage 1 1 1 No Further Action -1
  Stage 2 0 0 Nil
  Ombudsman 0 0 Nil
Hythe Pool Stage 1 5 0 Nil
  Stage 2 1 0 Nil
  Ombudsman 0 0 Nil
ICT and Infrastructure Stage 1 0 1 Not Upheld - 1
  Stage 2 0 0 Nil
  Ombudsman 0 0 Nil
Land & Property Stage 1 1 1 Withdrawn  - 1
  Stage 2 0 2 Not Upheld - 2
  Ombudsman 0 0 Nil
Legal Services Stage 1 0 0 Nil
  Stage 2 2 0 Nil
  Ombudsman 0 0 Nil
Licensing Stage 1 1 0 Nil
  Stage 2 0 0 Nil
  Ombudsman 0 0 Nil
Lifeline Stage 1 2 0 Nil
  Stage 2 0 0 Nil
  Ombudsman 0 0 Nil
Parking Stage 1 26 5 Upheld -  1
Not Upheld - 4
  Stage 2 1 4 Not Upheld - 4
  Ombudsman 0 2 Not Upheld - 2
Parking (3rd Party) Stage 2   1 Not Upheld - 1
Planning  Stage 1 21 15 Upheld - 3
Not Upheld - 12
  Stage 2 9 6 Not Upheld - 5
No further action - 1
  Ombudsman 6 2 Not Upheld - 2
Planning/Revenues (Joint complaint) Stage 1   1 No further action - 1
Private Sector Housing Stage 1 3 3 Not Upheld - 3
  Stage 2 3 2 Not Upheld - 2
  Ombudsman 1 2 No further action - 2
PR, Website and Comms Stage 1   1 Partially Upheld  - 1
Revenues Stage 1 7 3 Upheld – 1
Not Upheld – 1
Withdrawn - 1
  Stage 2 1 0 Nil
  Ombudsman 0 0 Nil
Waste Services  Stage 1 35 7 Upheld – 3
Not Upheld - 2
No further action - 2
  Stage 2 0 1 Not Upheld - 1
  Ombudsman 0 0 Nil

Third Party Complaints in 2024-25

A total of 21 complaints were referred on to the relevant third-party or organisation to respond at first on the council’s behalf during 2024-25 in line with council’s complaints policy and the Ombudsman code, this ensures that an individual or resident when making a complaint does not go through two separate complaints processes to resolve their complaint. If a complaint is not resolved satisfactorily at Stage 1, it will then be progressed to Stage 2 where Council will respond.

Third Party

Number of complaints

Mears

11

Swale Heating

4

Veolia

3

Swale & Mears (Joint complaint)

1

NSL

1

Other

1

Total

21

 

Complaint Contact Methods 2023-24 vs 2024-25

Contact Methods

2023-24

2024-25

Email/ Online Form

93%

96%

Letter (Post)

5%

2%

Telephone

2%

1.8%

In Person

0.3%

0%