Falkirk Council Takes Action Amid Sharp Rise in Complaints
Falkirk Council is responding to a significant increase in complaints by improving its systems and training staff to handle issues more effectively
Falkirk, Scotland, Complaints, Council, Social Work, Housing
Falkirk: So, it turns out Falkirk Council has noticed a big jump in complaints lately. They’re stepping up their game to handle things better after complaints shot up from 4,675 to 5,458 in just a year.
Even though the population dipped a bit, it seems more folks are voicing their concerns. The good news? About 88% of those complaints got sorted out right away, which is an improvement.
Out of all those complaints, 463 were fully upheld, while 680 were partially upheld. The council is working hard to make sure they’re addressing issues properly.
They’ve even trained their staff to handle complaints more effectively. Plus, they revamped their Contact Centre, cutting down wait times from 21 minutes to just 3-4 minutes. That’s a win for everyone!
Councillor Lorna Binnie pointed out that complaints have been on the rise since 2016 and asked what could be done to turn that around. She wanted more info on the types of complaints coming in, and it turns out the council is already using that data to spot trends.
Interestingly, they mentioned that complaints can actually be a good thing. It shows people are more aware of how to voice their concerns. The council isn’t quite sure why there’s been such a spike, but they know that changes in service often lead to more complaints.
For instance, they made some adjustments to traffic management after complaints about a new booking system at the Household Waste Recycling Centres. Staff started greeting residents to help them through the new process.
They also learned a lesson when parents complained about late notices for a summer activity scheme. The council admitted they should have communicated better and sent out apologies to families. They’re planning to improve that process for next year.
On top of that, Social Work Adult Services are focusing on meeting deadlines for complaints, and Housing has improved response times by keeping better track of things.
In the past year, 44 complaints even made it to the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman. It’s clear Falkirk Council is taking these issues seriously and working to make things better for everyone.