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 432KB) 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% |