Agenda item

To note the Annual Customer Feedback Report for 2024/25.

The Cabinet Member: Finance, Governance and Customer Services presented the Annual Customer Feedback Report for 2024/25.

The report highlighted a landmark achievement for the Council as the first local authority in the UK to receive ServiceMark accreditation from the Institute of Customer Services. This national recognition reflected the Council’s long-term commitment to delivering excellent customer service and putting residents at the heart of everything it does.

The report outlined the continued improvements in customer satisfaction, with the UK Customer Satisfaction Index score rising to 74, exceeding public sector averages and the Net Promoter score increasing to 19.4 with more customers likely to recommend the Council’s services. The Customer Effort Score had reduced to 4.3, outperforming National benchmarks due to the Council’s enhanced digital services and streamlined accessibility.

The report also outlined scores relating to feedback and engagement. The Compliments score had risen by 128% over six years, showing growing appreciation for Council services. It was stated that the Council had received only 790 complaints across thousands of interactions, demonstrating resilience and high service standards despite ongoing budget pressures. The Customer Insight Programme engaged 235 volunteers in 158 assignments, achieving 86% satisfaction. Satisfaction with the Customer Contact Centre reached an overall score of 95% for telephone callers and the Council’s digital assistant “Ask Tom” achieved an overall score of 98% satisfaction. It was recognised that there were some initial teething issues with the new automated telephone assistant, however the Council was continuing to refine the system in response to resident feedback.

It was stated that the Council had an efficient enquiry management system, which had remained strong, with 796 Leader and Cabinet enquiries logged and an average of 90% timely responses. A total of 302 Member enquiries had been logged, with an average of 91% timely responses and a total of 253 MP enquiries, with an average of 88% timely responses. The Council also had a strong corporate complaints process with response times improved to eight working days, with 84% meeting the Ombudsman’s 10-day standard. Despite a rise in Stage 2 complaints, the upheld rate had fallen to 26%, reflecting robust investigation and resolution.

For Social Care excellence, Adult Social Care had received a “Good” rating from the Care Quality Commission and Children’s Services were rated “Outstanding” by Ofsted. The report highlighted how statutory complaints had been responded to quicker than in previous years, with learning embedded across services.

Cabinet Members expressed their pride in the Council becoming the first local authority in the UK to receive ServiceMark accreditation from the Institute of Customer Services. Members described the recognition as a testament to the dedication of staff across the organisation and the Council’s long-standing commitment to delivering high-quality services. Members emphasised the importance of continuous improvement and praised the Council’s cooperative approach, particularly its commitment to listening to and engaging with residents. It was highlighted that the rise in compliments, which had more than doubled since 2019, was cited as evidence of the Council’s strong performance and resident satisfaction and the Council was leading the way nationally in public sector customer experience.

The Conservative Group Leader welcomed the Council’s achievement in receiving ServiceMark accreditation and congratulated the local authority on this recognition. He acknowledged the Council’s thorough approach to service delivery and noted that the report demonstrated the Council’s commitment to enhancing both individual responses and broader service delivery. He also referenced the positive ratings from the Care Quality Commission and Ofsted as further evidence of the Borough’s strengths and progress.

RESOLVED that:

a)    that Telford & Wrekin Council has been awarded ServiceMark accreditation by The Institute of Customer Services and as the first Council to achieve a ServiceMark, this recognises excellence in customer service standards across the public and private sector be noted;

b)   the Customer Feedback Reports for 2024-25 in respect of Adult Statutory Complaints, Children’s Statutory Complaints and Corporate Customer Feedback, and the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman Review Letter 2025 be reviewed; and

c)    the improvement in complaint handing performance and the increase in positive feedback be noted.