Decision Maker: Strategy and Resources Policy Committee

Outcome: Recommendations Approved

Is Key Decision?: Yes

Is Callable In?: No

Date of Decision: September 10, 2025

Purpose:

Content: 11.1 Councillor Fran Belbin, Deputy Leader and Lead Member for Customer Experience (including complaints) and the Executive Director of Neighbourhood Services introduced and presented a report providing a summary of the Corporate Annual Complaints Performance and the Local Government & Social Care Ombudsman & Housing Ombudsman Reports for Sheffield City Council for the 2024-25 reporting year.   The report also provided an update on apologies following publication of the Sheffield Street Trees Inquiry Report and identifies key feedback and areas for further improvement as well as benchmarking against similar local authorities.   It was noted that additional appendices had been circulated in respect of: Appendix 5 - Update on apologies following publication of the Sheffield Street Trees Inquiry Report; Appendix 6 - Housing Service's Annual Complaints Service Improvement Report for the Housing Ombudsman's self-assessment; and Appendix 7 - Housing Ombudsman self-assessment July 2025.     11.2 RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY: That Strategy and Resources Policy Committee:-       (a) consider the statistical analysis of the reports and the breakdowns therein including information on the performance of  complaints and the issues raised;   (b) approves the revised Complaint Policy which has been aligned to the Housing Ombudsman Complaint Policy Review Recommendations issued in June 2025;   (c) acknowledges and endorse the recommendations made by the VWV Sheffield Inquiry report (as detailed in Section 2.7 of this report), noting the Council’s full acceptance of these recommendations which are now incorporated into the Council’s 2025-26 Complaint Service Improvement Plan;   (d) agrees that the conclusions and recommendations set out in paragraph 2.9 of this report should form the basis of its written response to the Annual Complaints Report for publication;   (e) notes the links to the ‘Customer Experience Strategy,’ which continues to provide the fundamental support and direction needed for the continuous improvement and transformation of the way Sheffield City Council handles and manages complaints; and   (f) notes the update on apologies following publication of the Sheffield Street Trees Inquiry Report as set out in Appendix 5     11.3 Reasons for Decision     11.3.1 Strategy & Resources Policy Committee has lead responsibility for complaints including monitoring of complaint handling performance on behalf of the Council.     11.4 Alternatives Considered and Rejected     11.4.1 None, as above, this Committee has lead responsibility for complaints including monitoring of complaint handling performance on behalf of the Council.