Complaints management
- The number of complaints recorded during the year equated to 2.67 complaints per 1000 residents.
- Based on 923 complaints and a population of 345,418 as published in our Belfast Agenda-Strategic Plan, 2024-2028.
- 30 complaints went directly to Stage 2.
- All complaints were successfully dealt with and final responses sent to customers and are now closed.
- 108 complaints were escalated from Stage 1 to Stage 2, as requested by customers.
- There were 14 referrals to the NIPSO (Northern Ireland Public Services Ombudsman) by customers who remained unhappy with our Stage 2 response.
- 95 complaints at Stage 1 were extended in agreement with the complainant.
- 27 Stage 2 complaints were extended.
- 893 complaints were recorded at Stage 1 and 138 were recorded at Stage 2.
The main reasons for complaints were ‘Failure to provide a service’ which accounted for 6 out of every 10 complaints made. Next were complaints about staff followed by ‘Failure to achieve published service standards’
- Of the Stage 1 complaints, 36% were resolved at the point of service or contact, providing customers with a fast-track solution to their issues. 39% were upheld and 5% were partially upheld. 15% of all Stage 1 complaints were not upheld.
- 44% of Stage 2 complaints were upheld, 11% were partially upheld and 28% were not upheld.
- Only 1.5% of all complaints were referred to the Northern Ireland Public Services Ombudsman, following our final Stage 2 response.
Complaints about bin collections and other related services (Resources &Fleet) accounted for 643 complaints - 1.86 per 1000 residents. 70% of the total.
Open Spaces and Street Scene had a total of 124, Bereavement Services 84, City Protection 78 and Belfast Zoo 29.
- 55% of Stage 1 complaints were closed within 5 working days and 61% were closed within the agreed timeline when complaints were extended with the complainant’s agreement. The average working days to close all stage 1 complaints that weren’t extended was only 4.98 days and 9.58 days if they were extended. 95 Stage 1 complaints were extended.
- 67% of Stage 2 complaints were closed within 20 working days and 87% were closed within the agreed timeline when complaints were extended with the complainant’s agreement. The average working days to close stage 2 complaints was 17.30 days and 31.30 days if they were extended. 27 Stage 2 complaints were extended.
