Complaints Handling Annual Report 2025/26
Complaint Numbers
Complaints numbers table
| Category | 2022/23 | 2023/24 | 2024/25 | 2025/26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Total Complaints made |
409 |
497 |
749 |
743 |
|
Service Requests* |
956 |
929 |
1558 |
1395 |
|
Complaints Per Head of Population |
3.8 |
4.6 |
7.1 |
6.8 |
|
Total Complaints Closed |
432 |
501 |
774 |
719 |
|
% Closed at Stage 1 |
62% |
58.28% |
64.21% |
63.84% |
|
% Closed at Stage 2 |
29.4% |
31.34% |
27.13% |
26.7% |
|
% Closed After Escalation |
8.6% |
10.38% |
8.66% |
9.46% |
The overall number of complaints has risen dramatically in the last few years, however, while remaining high there have been slightly fewer recorded complaints in 2025/26 from the previous reporting period. The amount of requests that cannot be handled as complaints under our CHP shows a similar trend.
The proportion of complaints dealt with at each Stage remains consistent with prior years.
Complaints by Category 2025/26
- Percentage closed at stage 1 - 64%
- Percentage closed at stage 2 - 27%
- Percentage closed after escalation - 9%
Outcomes
Stage 1 Complaint Outcomes
| Category | 2022/23 | 2023/24 | 2024/25 | 2025/26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Upheld |
33.2% |
40.2% |
32.19% |
56.43% |
|
Partially Upheld |
31.3% |
26.47% |
30.18% |
18.74% |
|
Not Upheld |
26.5% |
30.72% |
34% |
18.74% |
|
Resolved |
9% |
2.61% |
3.62% |
6.1% |
2025/26 has seen a significantly higher number of complaints upheld at stage one than in previous reporting years.
Stage 2 Complaint Outcomes
| Category | 2022/23 | 2023/24 | 2024/25 | 2025/26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Upheld |
22% |
12.18% |
11.9% |
9.9% |
|
Partially Upheld |
29.9% |
32.05% |
23.81% |
22.4% |
|
Not Upheld |
44.9% |
53.21% |
59.05% |
65.1% |
|
Resolved |
3.1% |
2.56% |
5.24% |
2.6% |
The number of Stage 2 complaints that are not upheld has risen in the last few years with a lower number of upheld and partially upheld outcomes.
Escalated Complaint Outcomes
| Category | 2022/23 | 2023/24 | 2024/25 | 2025/26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Upheld |
24.3% |
26.4% |
20.9% |
38.24% |
|
Partially Upheld |
43.2% |
35.85% |
43.28% |
30.88% |
|
Not Upheld |
27% |
35.85% |
34.33% |
29.41% |
|
Resolved |
5.4% |
1.89% |
1.49% |
1.46% |
There is generally more annual variation with escalated complaints due to the lower overall proportion. 2025/26 saw a substantial increase in the number of escalated complaints that were upheld which was reflected in a reduction in all other outcomes.
Average Response Time
Average Response Times (Days)
| Category | 2022/23 | 2023/24 | 2024/25 | 2025/26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Stage 1 |
15.34 |
4.88 |
5.52 |
5.18 |
|
Stage 2 |
27.48 |
24.59 |
22.26 |
22.42 |
|
Escalated |
36.46 |
23.36 |
15.69 |
14 |
Average response times have improved in all areas in recent years, however there was a slight increase in response times to stage 2 complaints from the previous reporting period.
Complaints Answered within Timescales
| Category | 2022/23 | 2023/24 | 2024/25 | 2025/26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
All Complaints |
62.55% |
68.26% |
68.99% |
70.51% |
|
Stage 1 |
64.9% |
71.57% |
70.82% |
68.63% |
|
Stage 2 |
57.5% |
64.1% |
61.43% |
64.58% |
|
Escalated |
62.2% |
64.15% |
79.1% |
85.29% |
In 2025/26 the number of complaints answered within statutory timescales went up overall, however there was a slight decrease in Stage one responses meeting target times from the previous reporting period.
Complaints by Council Service Area
Assets & Facilities: 44
Community Services: 51
Customer Services & Organisational Development: 13
Education: 74
Finance & Digital Services: 79
Land Planning & Development: 46
Legal & Regulatory Services: 30
Roads & Neighbourhood Services: 391
The vast majority of recorded complaints are for the Road’s and Neighbourhood services strategic portfolio. This includes Waste Services, Roads, Greenspace and Streetscene. A further breakdown of complaints by teams with the highest number of complaints is provided below. Please note that it only includes the teams with more than 10 complaints over the reporting period.
Complaints received by Team 2025/26
| Team | Number | % |
|---|---|---|
|
Finance |
11 |
1.5% |
|
Social Work -Children & Families |
12 |
1.6% |
|
Legal Services |
12 |
1.6% |
|
Homelessness & Prevention |
13 |
1.7% |
|
Property Maintenance |
22 |
3% |
|
Development Applications |
23 |
3.1% |
|
Adult Social work |
32 |
4.3% |
|
Housing Operations |
33 |
4.4% |
|
Roads (Network & Technical) |
46 |
6.2% |
|
Greenspace & Streetscene |
50 |
6.7% |
|
Revs & Benefits |
63 |
8.5% |
|
Education- Primary & Secondary |
67 |
9% |
|
Waste Services |
295 |
39.7% |
|
Other (combined total of remaining teams with less than 10 per team) |
64 |
8.6% |
Use of Extensions
Use of Extensions
| Category | 2022/2023 | 2023/2024 | 2024/2025 | 2025/2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Stage 1 |
8% |
6.2% |
8.5% |
2.4% |
|
Stage 2 |
27% |
22.3% |
30% |
21.9% |
|
Escalated |
27% |
26.9% |
32.8% |
17.6% |
Despite the number of complaints being consistent with prior years, there was a notable reduction in in the number of extensions requested at Stage one, overall numbers of requested extensions are low leading to a higher likelihood of variance between reporting periods.
SPSO Referrals
Complaints Considered by SPSO
| Category | 2022/2023 | 2023/2024 | 2024/2025 | 2025/2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Total Number Complaints Received by SPSO |
25 |
24 |
26 |
35 |
|
Complaints Investigated by SPSO |
1 (Not Upheld) |
2 (1 upheld, 1 not upheld) |
1 (open) |
1 (open) |
|
Complaints Not Taken On by SPSO |
21 |
21 |
26 |
31 |
|
Complaints Still Open at SPSO |
2 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
Despite a significant rise in complaints escalated to the SPSO following a Stage 2 response, the number of complaints investigated remains consistent with prior years. In 2025/26 as well as the 31 complaints taken on and 1 investigated 1 complaint was withdrawn and in a further 2 cases the SPSO asked the Council to consider a revised Stage 2 response.