Dumfries and Galloway Council Urged to Improve Complaint Resolution
Stranraer and the Rhins Councillor, Willie Scobie, has called for Dumfries and Galloway Council to take more effective action in resolving complaints satisfactorily. This follows the revelation that the number of complaints made to the local authority has reached a five-year high.
Councillor Scobie expressed concern over the 631 grievances lodged last year and questioned the council’s follow-up actions in response to these complaints. Speaking at the council’s audit, risk, and scrutiny committee, he highlighted the importance of ensuring that complaints are resolved to the satisfaction of the service users, as recommended by the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman.
He raised questions about the monitoring of satisfaction levels among complainants and whether individuals may have abandoned their complaints at an early stage without adequate resolution. The councillor emphasised the need for the council to track the progression and resolution of complaints effectively.
Last year saw a total of 631 complaints registered with the council, marking an increase of 50 from the previous year and 175 more than in 2019/20. The primary reasons for complaints included professionalism of staff, waste collection issues, inadequate service standards, bullying incidents in schools, and road maintenance concerns.
While the number of complaints reached a five-year peak, Councillor Archie Dryburgh from Annandale and Eskdale noted that the figure should be contextualised compared to national trends. He stressed the importance of utilizing complaint feedback to drive service improvements within the council, highlighting the need to ensure that feedback reaches the relevant individuals or departments.
Nick Evans, the council’s democratic services manager, explained that feedback from complaints is used to inform service improvements, with team leaders and heads of service playing key roles in addressing complaints at the departmental level.
Efforts to enhance the council’s complaint resolution processes are underway, with a focus on ensuring transparency, accountability, and satisfactory outcomes for complainants. As calls for better handling of public grievances continue, the council faces ongoing scrutiny to address these concerns effectively.