Corporate Resources SC

Minutes CORPORATE RESOURCES & INFRASTRUCTURE SELECT COMMITTEE 23 July 2024 Meeting held at Committee Room 5 - Civic Centre Committee Members Present: Councillors John Riley (Chair), Adam Bennett (Vice -Chair), Kaushik Banerjee, Farhad Choubedar, Stuart Mathers (Oppositi on Lead), Elizabeth Garelick and Narinder Garg LBH Officers Present: Emma Gilbertson – Head of Corporate Communications, Poonam Pathak – Head of Highways and Anisha Teji – Senior Democratic Services Officer 14. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE (Agenda Item 1) There were no apologies for absence. 15. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST IN MATTERS COMING BEFORE THIS MEETING (Agenda Item 2) None. 16. MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING (Agenda Item 3) RESOLVED: That the minutes of the meeting held on 12 June 2024 be confirmed as an accurate record. 17. TO CONFIRM THAT THE ITEMS OF BUSINESS MARKED AS PART I WILL BE CONSIDERED IN PUBLIC AND THAT THE ITEMS MARKED AS PART II WILL BE CONSIDERED IN PRIVATE (Agenda Item 4) It was confirmed that all items would be heard in Part I. 18. ELECTRIC VEHICLE INFRASTRUCTURE REVIEW: 12 MONTH UPDATE (Agenda Item 5) The Head of Highways introduced the report on Electric Vehicle (EV) Infrastructure Review: 12 -month Update. A n overview was provided on the implementation and condition of the Borough’s EV infrastructure, including the delivery model and progress. The Council's strategy recommended the installation of 300 EVCPs on/off -highway Council-owned property located around the Borough by 2030. Members heard about the short -term goal to upgrade the existing infrastructure and add more charging points in some areas. Out of 46 planned charging points, 34 had been completed and the remaining 10 would be done in a f ew weeks. It was reported that there were also plans to install 14 ultra rapid charging points that could charge a vehicle in 15-20 minutes. The Committee was advised that the medium -term goal was to expand the on -street charging network for residents wh o did not have off -street parking. The Council had secured funding from the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV) to install 36 more sockets and had submitted a joint bid with six other boroughs for 1.2 million from the Local Electric Vehicle Infrastruc ture (LEV) fund. Long term, the goal was to create a comprehensive and sustainable EV infrastructure that met the needs of the growing number of EV users and support the Council's climate change agenda. The Council aimed to achieve this by working with par tners, engaging with stakeholders and monitoring the performance and impact of the EV network. The Head of Highways also noted the recommendations of the former select committee’s major review into the Borough’s EV infrastructure, which was approved by Cabinet in March 2022. In terms of units in car parks and the availability of on street charging for people who parked cars outside their house, it was highlighted that officers were mapping out locations for EV charging units within a 5 -minute walking dist ance for people without off-street parking. The Council was exploring on -street charging and had selected four locations for phase two to trial this. In response to queries about value for money and being more competitive in the market, it was reported that the Council set the charging cost for electric vehicles based on the energy and maintenance cost and benchmarking with other suppliers. There was a reduced cost for residents with a Hillingdon First card. The Committee raised questions about how long the EV units would last and how often they would need to be replaced, given the fast -changing technology. It was explained that EV units could be upgraded with software updates to keep up with the new technology, and that the hardware would not need to b e changed. The Council was trying to increase the capacity of the EV units by installing higher kilowatt units in phase two, although it was noted that there were challenges with obtaining electricity supply from suppliers. The challenges of EV charging in frastructure were highlighted and it was noted that phase one was a quick fix to meet the residents' demand, and that phase two would use 22 kilowatt units. Members were informed that grid operators were also resistant for the Council to install higher spe c units as they wanted to leave that market for suppliers. It was noted that the Council was using the Oxford model for on -street parking and applications were being made for the Low Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Fund (LEVIF) to support more EV charging project. Although the Council did not want to miss the opportunity to benefit from the EV market, considerations such as grid capacity and supplier interests had to be factored in. In terms of the progress of mapping for on -street charging infrastructur e, it was explained that various councils and organisations were helping the government with data. As part of that data collection, information had been put together using the data available and any identified needs. Members heard that the development of the Council’s fleet and how EV infrastructure could be used was being explored. Although there was a ZAP map where people could see all EV units, Members considered that it would be helpful to have a dedicated section on the website to advise people where charging units were based. The Committee requested information about monitoring and usage in future reporting. Members thanked officers for the good, interesting and balanced approach. RESOLVED: That the Committee noted the contents of the report. 19. INTERNAL/EXTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS UPDATE (Agenda Item 6) The Head of Corporate Communications introduced the update on internal and external communications and provided Members with a detailed overview of the report. It was reported that the Corporate Communicatio ns team aimed to produce the strategic narratives for the Council and ensure that stakeholders were well informed about resident services. The report provided a summary about the Council’s core communication functions, campaigns and marketing, publications and social media use. Members heard about key outcomes and achievements of the Corporate Communications team’s work and some of the challenges faced with the decline in local press. The report highlighted the changes in the website function and the publi cations format to enhance the use of other corporate communications channels to reach out further to residents digitally. In response to Member questions on how the Council evaluated the effectiveness of its communication c ampaigns and whether residents were well -informed about local issues, it was explained that various evaluation mechanisms were used to assess the impact of communications, such as digital analysis, media and survey responses and campaign outcomes. The Coun cil was also exploring new meth ods of communication platforms such as TikTok and WhatsApp to reach different audiences and improve the connection with residents. It was acknowledged that social media could have a positive impact in spreading information. For future reporting, Members requested a comparison table of media relations information from previous years to determine the different levels of progress made. Members welcomed the sharing of news around law breaking residents in terms of fly tipping and breach of licensing conditions. The Committee discussed the different uses of social media. It was noted that although the Council had more followers on Twitter than Facebook, there was more engagement with residents via Facebook. Officers advised the Committee that the higher number of followers on Twitter was due to the Council being an early adopter of the platform. Although the maintenance of notice boards did not fall under the Corporate Communications team, Member points about them looking emp ty and the suggestion of stock posters would be fed back to the relevant service area. The Committee queried how different teams within the Council coordinated with each other to spread information about the services available to residents. The recent campaign of the availability of blood pressure equipment in libraries was mentioned and it was noted that the Corporate Communications team had worked with the libraries to amplify this message to increase awareness and uptake. This was done through social media, posters, inclusion in the Hillingdon People and general promotion through the libraries team. In terms of different accounts for specific services, it was explained that there was strict process for approving and managing social media accounts for services. Accounts needed to be managed effectively with efficient resources and compliance with the Council’s social media policies. It was also noted that the Corporate Communications team had a higher number of followers than most service accounts. The Committee reflected on the Council’s communication with the NHS. Members asked for further information on how the Corporate Communications team worked with different departments and partners to avoid duplication which could lead to resident frustration. The Head of Corporate Communications explained that there was a good partnership model with the NHS and the police, and they shared and amplified each other's messages such as the police’s recent recruitment campaign. With the transformation activities, the team would work on highli ghting the benefits of residents having an online account. During Member discussions it was noted that pre covid posters and leaflets were sent to GP surgeries often however there was a need to be mindful of sending excess ive paper. The text messaging type communication to convey key messages was important and worked well with GP users. The possible use of digital boards was being explored in libraries and the Civic Centre to reduce the use of printed resources and make the medium more visually engaging. The report showed an increase in followers and engagement across different platforms, except for Nextdoor, which had a decrease due to a change in algorithm. There was reduced use in the on the platform. Members requested information on the use of paid social media campaigns, and it was confirmed that the Council had used paid social media campaigns . These had been proven to be effective as demonstrated in the Council’s recent fostering campaign. Members thanked the He ad of Corporate Communications for the good report and found it to be interesting and helpful. RESOLVED: That the Committee noted the contents of the report. 20. FORWARD PLAN (Agenda Item 7) RESOLVED: That the Forward Plan be noted. 21. WORK PROGRAMME (Agenda Item 8) RESOLVED: That the Work Programme be noted. The meeting, which commenced at 7.00 pm, closed at 8.29 pm. These are the minutes of the above meeting. For more information on any of the resolutions please contact Anisha Teji, Senior Democratic Services Officer on ateji@hillingdon.gov.uk or 01895 277655 . Circulation of these minutes is to Councillors, Officers, the Press and Members of the Public.

Classification: Public Corporate Resources & Infrastructure Select Committee – 17 September 2024 Draft Hillingdon Digital Strategy Committee name Corporate Resources and Infrastructure Select Committee Officer reporting Matthew Wallbridge, Digital & Intelligence Services Papers with report Appendix A - Digital Strategy Ward All HEADLINES This report presents the council’s Digital Strategy for the next three years. Building upon the full Council Strategy 2022-2026, approved by Cabinet in October 2022 , the Digital Strategy will support our five commitments to residents, in particular our aim to be a digital- enabled, modern, well-run council. The strategy sets out the council’s vision for delivering digital change, which aims to improve the way the council delivers services to residents by utilising technology. We will put residents first by enabling them to access the services they need quickly and at their own convenience, whilst also delivering more efficient and effective processes for council staff . This report to cabinet seeks to obtain approval for the Digital Strategy. RECOMMENDATIONS That the Committee acknowledges the draft Digital Strategy and provides comments as appropriate prior to its submission to Cabinet on 2 October 2024. SUPPORTING INFORMATION 1. Hillingdon Council’s ambitions is to strive to be an efficient, well-run, digital-enabled council working with partners to deliver services to improve the lives of all our residents. 2. Becoming a more digital council will help improve our resident, visitor, business and staff experiences through access to modern and more efficient services and tools. The strategy sets out the steps to improve the way the council delivers services to residents by utilising technology. Becoming a digital council will enhance the experiences of residents, visitors, businesses, and staff through improved services and tools. The strategy aims to improve the way residents are able to transact with the council and find information by providing quick and conveni ent access to services, while also streamlining processes for council staff. 3. The report from the Finance and Corporate Services Select Committee presented at Cabinet in February 2024 referred to the Digital Strategy being key to delivering a number Classification: Public Corporate Resources & Infrastructure Select Committee – 17 September 2024 of proposals; being closely aligned to service transformation and focused on leveraging technology to further enhance and streamline the council’s business operations, alongside promoting self-service models internally and externally. To achieve the council agreed on 22 February 2024 , to an investment of £15,816 m for a Corporate Technology and Innovation budget, to drive the digital savings outlined in the council’s saving programme. . 4. This investment is to deliver the Digital Strategy, and as described in the Cabinet report it is ‘ closely aligned to service transformation and focused on leveraging technology to further enhance and streamline the council’s business operations, alongside promoting self-service models internally and externally’. The £5,270m is earmarked in the council’s savings programme in relation to this investment. 5. To ensure the Digital Strategy and the associated savings are delivered at pace, delegated authority is sought for the expenditure of the Corporate Technology and Innovation budget (including all capital expenditure and contract awards). 6. Our approach to guide all our digital, technology and data transformation work will be guided by four principles: 1. Prioritising customer needs 2. Carrying out an agile approach to delivery 3. Delivering new business models driven by data 4. Taking a One Council approach. 7. Over the last few years , a considerable amount of work has been undertaken to lay the foundations for the council’s digital journey and this strategy. Some specific examples of this are: a. Hillingdon were the first UK local authority to deploy an automated voice and web chat solution at scale. This has allowed residents to better self -serve and get a quicker resolution to their enquiry. b. Delivery of a modern and flexible infrastructure, as well as a reduction in the number of IT applications. c. Implementation of hybrid working, allowing for quick adoption post the pandemic. d. Ongoing delivery of a programme of connectivity improvements, incr easing bandwidth across all of our sites and across the borough. When the Digital Connectivity Project started in November 2020, the council was at 5% Full Fibre. The council is currently at 75.27%, and in the top half of London Boroughs. 8. The council has been accelerating its digital journey over the past few months by: : a. Starting to roll out new devices and the learning and development to utilise them across the organisation so the workforce can be as productive as possible b. Starting a six-week pilot programme with 100 staff using Microsoft Copilot to explore its potential to enhance processes by using prompts and digital data to produce solutions to help improve productivity, efficiency and save time in key service areas. Classification: Public Corporate Resources & Infrastructure Select Committee – 17 September 2024 c. Enhanced business intelligence across the organisation with the delivery of a single view of the household, and dashboards for our key services to understand performance and manage demand. d. Improving our applications and systems in the areas like social care, HR, finance, procurement and housing. 9. To support the delivery of the Digital Strategy, five workstreams have been developed: 1. Building services online by default - Residents expect services to be online and available on any device. People should be able to pay online, and experience seamless services from us. In turn this will improve resident experience' on our customer access team and business areas, and improve our resident, visitor and business experience. 2. Better data, better decisions - All local authorities have a lot of data, but often lack the insight to make good decisions both internally and for residents. Better data, and the ability to use it wisely, brings a huge amount of opportunit ies from better decisions by understanding resident needs across multiple systems. 3. Modernise our infrastructure and systems – to be an efficient, well -run, digital - enabled council is a modern forward thinking, a modern infrastructure with systems that talk to each other, highly reliable hosting and platforms, the best of commodity technology and modern, cloud-based and application programming interface driven architecture. 4. Build digital capability and inclusion - A highly skilled digital, data and technolo gy resource which can be deployed to support our ongoing transformation needs. We also need to upskill our employees to be confident with technology and use this to implement the digital elements of service delivery to better meet the needs of residents and support those who do not have digital access. And in turn, ensure residents are supported to have access to and use digital devices, or supported if they can’t. This will be supported by the council’s Digital Inclusion strategy. 5. Create a digital place - There is also an important role for the council in facilitating the use of digital technology to bring about further improvements within the borough, and the way it functions. This is increasingly important as Hillingdon, like many other areas, faces challenges from population growth, automation, congestion and the climate crisis. 10. Hillingdon Council is committed to being a ‘digital-enabled, modern, well -run council’ as demonstrated by the investment made by the council this year. This investment will ensure a better digital experience for residents and the ability to transact with the council 24/7 365 days. The council will improve its website so residents can get the information they need more quickly, and transactions will be automated so that we can divert our resources to the people that need our help the most. And through investing in tools for staff, as the Microsoft CEO (Satya Nadella) described “we will improve the productivity of our staff by removing the drudgery of process at work, and speeding up the time to human ingenuity by removing the productivity drain in what people spend their time doing”. PERFORMANCE DATA Objective 1: To reduce the volume of resident facing contact and channel shift to online. Classification: Public Corporate Resources & Infrastructure Select Committee – 17 September 2024 Measure 1: Contacts offered (calls, emails and face to face). Objective 2: To increase take up and maximise resident self-service. Measure 2: Total Contacts that are self-service/digital. Objective 3: To reduce the spend on customer experience by reducing demand both over the phone and face to face Measure 3: Total spend on customer experience Objective 4: To reduce the officer time for business areas spent on back -office processing, through better systems integration and automation Measure 4: Total spend on business support Objective 5: Reduced paper usage, helping to meet the council’s climate commitments Measure 5: Total spend of printing and postage RESIDENT BENEFIT The three-year Digital Strategy presented in this report provides the vision and a comprehensive framework of commitments to residents which seek to continue to enhance the borough and continuously improve council services to be modern, represent value for money and meet residents’ needs. Residents will have a vastly improved experience when interacting with the council in accessing services and information. They will be able to carry out simple transactions quickly and easily, with a more joined up approach ensuring they only need to make contact once. The council will have a better understanding of our residents, through the smarter use of joined - up data. We will be using modern technology to join data sets and get insights which allow us to continuously improve our services and make better decisions. FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS Corporate Finance has reviewed this report and the draft Digital Strategy, noting that the ambitions set out for both Residents and the council will inform ongoing development of the Medium-Term Financial Forecast and Budget Strategy. As noted above, the re are no direct financial implications arising from the development of and consultation on the draft council Strategy. LEGAL IMPLICATIONS Legal Services confirm that there are no legal impediments to the council adopting the proposed strategy which is in accordance with the outcome of the consultation. BACKGROUND PAPERS Council Strategy 2022-2026 Classification: Public Corporate Resources & Infrastructure Select Committee – 17 September 2024 APPENDICES Digital Strategy

Digital Strategy 2024-2027 1 Foreword Hillingdon Council continues to put residents first in everything it does. The Council Strategy 2022-2026 builds on the successes of the council to date and sets a clear vision, the ambition for residents and the council, and commitments to residents over the next four years to continue to respond positively to changing demands and requirements. The strategy provides a broad, overarching framework for effective business planning and strong performance management within the council to drive the transformation of services to continue to meet the changing needs and expectations of residents. One of our ambitions is to be a digital-enabled, modern, well-run sustainable council with sound financial management, achieving positive outcomes for residents. Our Digital Strategy sets out our vision to embrace technology to be efficient and make it easier for residents to use council services, including supporting those who are unable to use technology. Councillor Douglas Mills Cabinet Member for Corporate Services 2 What is digital? ‘Digital’ is a mindset of being service- oriented and adaptive, and having an absolute focus on improving the lives of our residents. 3 The picture can't be displayed. Our Vision for Digital 4 We will improve the way the council delivers services to residents by utilising technology. We will put residents first by enabling them to access the services they need quickly and at their own convenience, whilst also delivering more efficient and effective processes for council staff. Principles We will do this by: • Prioritising customer needs • Carrying out an agile approach to delivery • Delivering new business models driven by data • One Council Context This strategy explains what we're going to do to continue to make Hillingdon Council a digital-enabled, modern, well-run council in the next three years and beyond. Our ambitions for the council is that we will strive to be an efficient, well-run, digital-enabled council working with partners to deliver services to improve the lives of all our residents. This vision is set out in our council strategy and our digital strategy builds on that plan. Becoming a digital council is not about implementing new technology for the sake of it, but about fundamentally improving our resident, visitor, business and staff experience through simpler, better services and tools. 5 Progress so far Over the last year we have started to accelerate our digital journey by: 6 We recognise there is plenty still to do… Becoming the first UK local authority to deploy an automated voice and web chat solution at scale. Automated Voice & Web Chat Delivered modern and flexible Infrastructure and a reduction in the number of applications. Infrastructure Quickly adapting to hybrid working post the covid-19 pandemic, which enables us to keep services running. Hybrid Working Delivered a programme of connectivity improvements, increasing bandwidth across all our sites and across the borough. All meaning better access to the internet for residents. Connectivity Our 5 commitments to residents 7 Safe and strong communities Hillingdon is a safe place with resilient, strong communities with access to good quality, affordable housing. A thriving economy We are actively working with local businesses and partners to create a borough where businesses grow within a strong economy and local people can improve their skills and enjoy good quality jobs. Thriving, healthy households Children, young people, their families and vulnerable adults and older people live healthy, active and independent lives. A green and sustainable borough Hillingdon will be a sustainable, carbon-neutral borough, protecting Hillingdon’s heritage, built environment and valued green spaces. Residents will live in pleasant neighbourhoods with access to sustainable waste management and transport. A digital-enabled, modern, well-run council We are a well-run, sustainable council with sound financial management, achieving positive outcomes for residents. 8 We are a well-run, sustainable council with sound financial management, achieving positive outcomes for residents. We will: • Be a strong leader of joined-up public services for Hillingdon residents. • Continue to advocate on behalf of residents and businesses to promote and protect the best interests of the borough. • Promote resident engagement across all communities. • Embrace technology to be efficient and make it easier for residents to use council services, including supporting those who are unable to use technology. • Continue to deliver a modern, responsive customer service. • Make the best use of our land and buildings. • Ensure value for money in the procurement and delivery of services. • Continue to review and develop services to achieve the best possible outcomes for residents and communities. • Develop a diverse, committed and skilled workforce in the borough. 9 Our approach to guide all our digital, technology and data transformation work 10 Our service transformation will focus on meeting the needs of our residents, particularly those who are most vulnerable. We will use research and data to better understand this in our borough and will use this to build and develop products and services to meet those needs. We will make our services accessible to all, working to improve digital inclusion. We will test the services to make sure they are simple and intuitive, and support those who are unable to go online. We will embrace new ways of delivering improvements to our services, with small, iterative work packages backed by with research and data. We will invest in reducing bureaucracy and paperwork, and enable quick, data-driven decision making. The data we collect about resident needs will support every aspect of our digital strategy. We will engage our residents and staff, developing analytics and research which will guide what we do and when. We will invest in meeting common need, ensuring we use our time and money wisely and making sure we can measure success and continuously improve every aspect of our services. We will become a digital council by facilitating cross-functional project teams, sharing budgets and goals, and by working in a more collaborative and innovate way. We will empower these teams to build and realise their own goals. We will give employees the space they need to deliver, share knowledge and work across the council rather than in a silo fashion to best support residents. Prioritising customer needs One council Delivering new business models driven by data Carrying out an agile approach to delivery Success in the next three years, will mean: 11 An even better resident experience when interacting with the council in accessing services and information. They will be able to carry out simple transactions quickly and easily, with a more joined up approach ensuring they only need to make contact once. Happier, more efficient staff, who are equipped with the most appropriate technology they need to do their jobs. They will have had some of their manual work taken away in favour of being able to focus on higher-value tasks. Resident Staff A better understanding of our residents, through the smarter use of joined-up data. We will be using modern technology to join data sets and get insights which allow us to continuously improve our services and make better decisions . A more sustainable financial model, where we are able to improve service delivery while maintaining or reducing costs . Data Service We will achieve this through 5 workstreams: 12 1. Build services online by default 2. Better data, better decisions 3. Modernise our infrastructure and systems 4. Build digital capability and inclusion 5. Deliver a digital place 1: Build services online by default Residents expect services to be online and available on any device. People should be able to pay online, and experience seamless services from us. In turn this will improve resident experience’ from our customer experience team and business areas, and improve our resident, visitor and business experience of us. The intended outcomes of this workstream are that: • Most of our residents choose and prefer to interact with us online • Residents can access their information about council services via our MyAccount function • Residents will be able to carry out simple transactions quickly and easily, with a more joined up approach ensuring they only need to make contact once, whether for information or transactional services, without needing help • Users understand our website and associated information, meaning they do not have to contact us if we have put the information online • Our website will user friendly and accessible with single sign-on and a maximum of 2 or 3 clicks to get what you need. 13 To do this we will: Build a roadmap of digital services in a data-driven priority order, focusing on high-volume services, and highly manual processes Transform the work of our customer experience team and across the council by continuing to use different channels and technology, with one telephone number for those that must speak to an agent Carry out research with residents to understand what they need from us and create a prioritised schedule of work Put payments online for all payable services, making the council cashless for all but the most vulnerable Consolidate and redesign our website, making it clearer and more accessible. We will introduce consistent, mobile-first design patterns, iterating based on user needs 2: Better data, better decisions All local authorities have a lot of data, but often lack the insight to make good decisions both internally and for our residents. Better data, and the ability to use it wisely, brings a huge amount of opportunities from better decisions by understanding resident needs across multiple systems. We want to have the right data, to make the right decisions. The intended outcomes of this workstream are that: • We have a clear understanding of our residents’, businesses’, partners’ and visitors’ needs, both qualitatively and quantitatively, so that we can improve outcomes for and with them • We can get insights from our data to improve services, and personalise them for their users, as well as being more efficient and effective • We have the right infrastructure to share data and insights across our organisation, and with partner organisations in the local area and nationally • We have better data about our employees to create a happier and more efficient workforce 14 To do this we will: • Our business intelligence team is a key part of service transformation and has the remit of bringing insights directly to business areas • They will build better reporting and insight on a service-by- service basis so people can truly understand their customer base • Engineer our systems data to make it easy to combine and analyse, and work with suppliers to get better access to our own data • Improve our data warehouse to deliver insights from the data we can collect, and a single view of the customer • Utilise machine learning and artificial intelligence to improve customer experiences and make us more efficient • Carry out a data cleansing and reduction programme to eliminate duplicate records and make our data extractable and accurate • Work with partners and other stakeholders to better understand our area 3: Modernise our infrastructure & systems We need a modern infrastructure with systems that talk to each other, highly reliable hosting and platforms, the best of commodity technology and modern, cloud-based and application programming interface driven architecture. The intended outcomes of this workstream are that: • We have a cost efficient and reliable technology estate, centrally managed and regularly reviewed to ensure value for money • Great connectivity for both residents and staff • We have full control of the data in all our back-office systems, and can extract and analyse that data to improve services • We have a clear architectural vision and roadmap • Our infrastructure and systems are resilient against a cyber attack 15 To do this, we will: • Develop a clear architectural vision and mapping for all council technology systems, working towards a small number of specialist systems supported by shared components that provide common functions that are integrated through application programming interfaces, using cloud and software as a service solutions wherever possible • Build integration points and automation between current systems, and ensure when new systems are procured, they use open APIs and can integrate with our current systems • Review and refresh all back-office systems helping service areas transition to modern, cloud-based technology • Deliver an ongoing portfolio of improvements to council systems, corporate technology which are prioritised on a clear roadmap and remove sub-optimal or paper-based council processes • Ensure systems are secure by default and protected by multi layered defences 4: Build digital capability and inclusion We need highly skilled digital, data and technology resource which can be deployed to support our ongoing transformation needs. We also need to upskill our employees to be confident with technology and use this to implement the digital elements of service delivery to better meet the needs of residents and support those who do not have digital access. And in turn, ensure residents are supported to have access to and use digital devices, or supported if they can’t. The intended outcomes of this workstream are that: • Our employees feel confident in their knowledge and skills around the technology they need to do their jobs • We can adapt quickly from project to project, using digital resources to help the council prioritise and meet its needs • Improve our digital capability and engagement with our residents and businesses. 16 To do this, we will: • Create a permanent rolling programme of digital apprenticeships, working with local higher educational institutions to build pathways for young workers and graduates who are interested in digital, technology and data • Build digital, data, technology teams in the council consisting mainly of permanent staff with a small number of contractors or partners • Partner with business areas across the council to co-create service transformation plans enabled by technology - and then deliver on them • Work with other boroughs, government bodies and suppliers to share learning, work together and improve. • Focus customer experience on supporting the digitally excluded and vulnerable • Ensure residents have access to digital services to transact with the council and find council-related information 5: Deliver a digital place There is also an important role for the council in facilitating the use of digital technology to bring about further improvements within the borough, and the way it functions. This is increasingly important as Hillingdon, like many other areas, faces challenges from population growth, automation, congestion and the climate crisis. The intended outcomes of this workstream are that: • Improve digital connectivity across the borough • Improve sustainability across the borough • Improve our digital capability and engagement with our residents and businesses. 17 To do this, we will: • Continue our programme of borough wide fibre and mobile connectivity improvements, increasing bandwidth across the borough for the council, businesses and residents • Help Hillingdon become a Smart City by having a Planning service that instils digital innovation into current and new developments • Create a clear digital offer to businesses that defines the way in which they should engage and interact with the council • Use internet of things devices to capture data to gain new insights. For example, information on the performance of assets, such as boilers in council housing, energy use and sustainable energy management systems • Leverage Social Value in the digital arena when procuring major contracts i.e. housing developments/commercial builds/any other high value contracts • Develop the digital economy in Hillingdon Key Performance Indicators 18 Objective: To reduce the volume of resident facing contact and channel shift to online. Measure: Contacts offered (calls, emails and face to face). Objective: To increase take up and maximise resident self-service. Measure: Total Contacts that are self-service/digital. Objective: To reduce the spend on customer experience by reducing demand both over the phone and face to face Measure: Total spend on customer experience Objective: To reduce the officer time for business areas spent on back-office processing, through better systems integration and automation Measure: Total spend on business support Objective: Reduced paper usage, helping to meet the council’s climate commitments Measure: Total spend of printing and postage KPIs

Corporate Resources and Infrastructure Select Committee – 17 September 2024 Part I – Public Annual Complaint & Service Monitoring Report For 1 April 2023 To 31 March 2024 Committee name Corporate Resources & Infrastructure Select Committee Officer reporting Ian Anderson - Business Manager, Complaints and Enquiries Papers with report Appendix A, B, C, D, E, F, G and H Ward All HEADLINES To provide information to the Committee on key complaints and related service monitoring data. RECOMMENDATIONS: That the Committee note the contents of the report and provide any comments to officers as appropriate. SUPPORTING INFORMATION This report provides information and analysis of complaints and Members' Enquiries received between 1 April 2023 and 31 March 2024 and satisfies the requirement to publish annual information. The report includes:  Appendix A: Background to the complaints process  Appendix B: Complaints, Compliments, and Members’ Enquiries trends for 2023/24  Appendix C: Complaint and Compliment report for Housing Services for 2023/24  Appendix D: Complaint and Compliment report for Adult Social Care for 2023/24  Appendix E: Complaint and Compliment report for Children and Young People Services for 2023/24  Appendix F: Complaint and Compliment report for Education Services for 2023/24  Appendix G: Complaint and Compliment report for Finance Directorate for 2023/24  Appendix H: Complaint and Compliments for Place Directorate for 2023/24 Implications on related Council policies A key role of Select Committees is to monitor the performance of Council services within their remit. Select Committees may also recommendations on service changes and improvements to the Cabinet who are responsible for the Council’s policy and direction. How this report benefits Hillingdon residents This report seeks to provide assurance that complaints and Members' Enquiries are being processed in accordance with the Council’s published policies. Corporate Resources and Infrastructure Select Committee – 17 September 2024 Part I – Public Financial Implications There are no direct financial implications associated with this report. Legal Implications Legal Services confirm that there are no specific legal implications arising from this report. BACKGROUND PAPERS Nil Corporate Resources and Infrastructure Select Committee – 17 September 2024 Part I – Public APPENDIX A BACKGROUND TO THE COMPLAINT PROCESS 1. The Council’s Vision The Council’s vision is about ‘putting our residents first’. Feedback in the form of complaints and compliments is seen as a very important source of information from residents about the quality of services and care provided by the Council. In cases where something has gone wrong, we are committed to putting it right and ensuring that it does not happen again. 2. What is a Complaint? In general terms a complaint can be considered as: “an expression of dissatisfaction, however made, about the standard of service, actions or lack of action by the council, its own staff, or those acting on its behalf, affecting an individual or group of individuals” 3. What is a Service Requests? A Service Request is defined as a request from a resident/people to the Council requiring us to take action to put something right. Whilst Service Requests are not complaints, they may contain expressions of dissatisfaction and give the Council the opportunity to deal with feedback in an informal way before a complaint is made. 4. How can people complain? Complaints can be made quickly and easily 24 hours a day, seven days a week via our website at www.hillingdon.gov.uk/complaints or by post or telephone. If an adjustment is needed, people are asked to call the Complaint and Enquiries Team. 5. What can people complain about to the Council? People can complain about any services that the Council provides or contracts out. 6. Remedies for redress Where a complaint investigation finds that the Council has made mistakes, redress needs to be considered. The purpose of redress is to remedy the injustice or hardship suffered and , where possible, to return a complainant to the position they would have been before the situation went wrong. Types of redress include:  an apology;  providing the service that should have been received in the first place;  taking action or making a decision that the Council should have done before;  reconsidering an incorrect decision;  improving procedures so that similar problems do not happen again; and  payment in recognition of any loss or distress that has occurred as a result of maladministration, particularly where actions cannot be taken to put matters right. Corporate Resources and Infrastructure Select Committee – 17 September 2024 Part I – Public 7. Mediation Sometimes, resolving a complaint through the usual process may be unsuitable or unfeasible, especially if the relationship between the service provider and user is strained or emotions are heightened. In these cases, the Business Manager of Complaints and Enquiries will evaluate if mediation could be a viable alternative. Should both parties consent, an independent mediator can facilitate a meeting where they attempt to negotiate a resolution through discussion. 8. Complaint Handling Codes The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman (LGSCO) and the Housing Ombudsman Service (HOS) carried out a consultation with their users in late 2023 . The outcome of their consultation was published in February 2024 in which they issued new and revised Complaint Handling Codes, requesting that all Local Authorities/social housing landlords begin to comply with the guidance issued from 1 April 2024. Cabinet approved the changes on 27 June 2024 and the effect of this is that:  The stages in the Corporate complaints procedure have been decreased from three to two.  “Informal Complaints” have been removed as a category and replaced with “Service Requests”.  the timeline for acknowledging receipt of a complaint is now set at 5 working days instead of 3 working days.  the time set for responding to Stage 2 complaints under the Corporate complaints procedure is now set at 20 working days rather than 10.  introduction of a Member Responsible for Complaints. Corporate Resources and Infrastructure Select Committee – 17 September 2024 Part I – Public APPENDIX B COMPLAINTS, COMPLIMENTS AND MEMBERS’ ENQUIRIES FOR 2023/24 1. Total number of complaints/compliments recorded for 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024 Directorate Informal complaints Stage 1 complaints Stage 2 Complaints Stage 3 complaints Ombudsman Investigations Compliments Finance Directorate 149 97 18 0 3 1 Adult Social Care 72 31 N/A N/A 8 21 Digital and Intelligence 16 1 0 0 0 2 Children and Young People Services 85 46 6 0 4 55 Education Services 55 5 2 0 1 8 Central Services 578 240 93 0 21 10 Place Directorate 2,774 261 61 0 28 119 Total for 2023/24 3,729 681 180 0 65 216 Total for 2022/23 5,176 816 121 0 46 245  The Council strives to resolve complaints in a reasonable manner and to the satisfaction of the residents. The figures above indicate that this is achieved, as the number of complaints decreases at each stage of the escalation process. For example, only 18% of Service Requests (3,729) progressed to a Stage 1 complaint (681) and only 26% of Stage 1 complaints advanced to Stage 2 (180).  The number of compliments (216) for 2023/24 and 245 for 2022/23 is similar. 2. Total number of complaints/compliments recorded for 1 April 2019 to 31 March 2024 Year Service Requests Stage 1 complaints Stage 2 Complaints Stage 3 complaints Ombudsman Investigations Compliments 2019/20 2,339 861 80 0 59 301 2020/21 2,587 789 42 0 34 502 2021/22 4,473 802 102 0 75 349 2022/23 5,176 816 121 0 46 245 2023/24 3,729 681 180 0 65 216  The number of Service Requests dropped by 1,447 from 5,176 in 2022/23 to 3,729 in 2023/24. This may be due to the new online complaint system that started on 3 July 2023, which requires residents to adapt to the new interface and process.  The Council’s Corporate complaints procedure changed in 2024 to align with the revised Complaint Handling Codes of the Housing Ombudsman Service (HoS) and the Local Corporate Resources and Infrastructure Select Committee – 17 September 2024 Part I – Public Government and Social Care Ombudsman (LGO). We anticipate more formal complaints in the future as we removed the “informal complaint” step on 1 April 2024 and replaced it with “Service Request”.  The LGO and HoS, completed 65 investigations for 2023/24, which is 43% (19) more than 2022/23 (46). Only 10% of complaints escalated from Stage 1 (680) to an Ombudsman investigation (65). 3. Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman and Housing Service Ombudsman investigations completed for 2023/24 The table below provides the outcome of all investigations concluded by the Ombudsman. Service Area Upheld Partially Upheld Not Upheld Did not investigate Total Finance 2 0 0 1 3 Adult Social Care 2 1 0 5 8 Children and Young People’s 3 0 0 1 4 Education 1 0 0 0 1 Housing 7 1 2 10 20 Waste 1 0 0 0 1 ASBET 3 1 0 1 5 Planning and Building Control 0 0 0 4 4 Green Spaces 0 0 0 9 9 Transport and Projects 0 0 0 0 0 Parking 0 0 1 6 7 Highways 0 0 0 3 3 Total 19 3 3 40 65  Of the 65 investigations concluded by the Ombudsmen for 2023/24, 29% (19) were upheld but in the majority of complaints they received against the Council 62% (40), the Ombudsmen determined that based on the information presented to them, there was insufficient evidence of fault for them to open a full investigation into the complaint. 4. Members Enquiries (MEs) Corporate Resources and Infrastructure Select Committee – 17 September 2024 Part I – Public Number of MEs recorded Period Place Directorate Adult Services Children Services Finance Directorate Central Services Digital and Intelligence Total 2019/20 11,047 135 62 179 - - 11,423 2020/21 9,533 145 54 228 - - 9,960 2021/22 9,432 112 58 167 - - 9,769 2022/23 7,417 150 56 182 - - 7,805 2023/24 4,467 67 85 98 1,517 2 6,236  The handling of Members Enquiries (ME) was reviewed and a new system using the GOSS platform was introduced on 1 January 2023. A key part of that change was to re define what an ME is i.e. 'a clear question has been asked that now requires investigation by Council Officers, or the supply of information from a Council department’. At the same time, we introduced the term “service request” which we have defined as ‘a request for a one-off action to be taken, that requires action by an Officer and not investigative activities or supply of information’. The effect of this is that the volume of MEs has reduced and will continue to do so over the years to come as those more straightforward enquires are treated as “service requests”. Service areas that have the highest number of MEs recorded Service Area 2019/20 2020/21 2021/22 2022/23 2023/24 Waste 5,950 4,964 3,934 2,003 749 Housing 1,288 1,269 976 1,021 1,375 Anti-Social Behaviour 1,408 1,176 1,258 761 589 Green Spaces 966 863 1,043 705 400 Planning 978 827 1,255 361 325 Highways - - - 744 709  Waste, Housing, Anti-Social Behaviour, Green Spaces , Planning and Highway Services accounted for 4,147 (67%) of all enquiries submitted by Members for 2023/24. Housing enquiries alone accounted for 22% of all enquiries submitted by Members.  Waste Services and Green Spaces received fewer MEs th an in previous years but this was to be expected as the typical type of enquiry submitted for these services falls under the definition of a “Service Request”. This is reflected in the figures below. Service Requests recorded Period 1 December to 31 March 2023 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024 Number 1,023 5,555  Members submitted a significant volume of “Service Requests” in 2023/24 and when this is combined with ME figures, it shows that a total of 11,791 enquiries/requests were submitted by Members. This combined figure is higher than in any preceding years. Top 5 Service Requests submitted by Members for 2023/24 Corporate Resources and Infrastructure Select Committee – 17 September 2024 Part I – Public Service Area 2023/24 % of all SRs submitted Street Cleansing 1,743 31% Fly tipping 1,695 30% Potholes 350 6% Rubbish accumulation 251 5% Tree maintenance 185 3%  Street Cleansing and Fly tipping account for 61% of all Service Requests submitted by Members. 5. Complaints about a Councillor Complaints about the conduct of a councillor have a separate complaint process that people are required to follow and these complaints are dealt with by the Head of Democratic Services and Monitoring Officer, Lloyd White. More information on this process can be found on the following web pages: www.hillingdon.gov.uk/complaint-councillor 6. Service Improvement Continuous improvement is seen as a cornerstone of how we operate at Hillingdon Council and learning from complaints is a central part of this. The receipt of any complaint provides Hillingdon with valuable feedback and opportunities to learn from what has happened and make adjustments to avoid future problems and improve the service we provide our residents. To this end, we have paid for a bespoke training course delivered by the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman in May of 2024 on investigating complaints and the processes to follow, along with mechanisms they use to identify issues and make recommendations for change/service improvement. Officers found this course extremely helpful. The Council has invested in new software for complaint handling. Since July 2023, we have been using a new complaint portal to process and manage complaints. The new portal has provided us with the opportunity to better understand feedback we are receiving from our residents through the “Report It” data we receive, complaints, compliments and Members Enquiries. This will enable improved analysis to better understand the specific issues that residents raise and identify trends. We expect that, over time, this will help us to address systemic problems at an early stage, reducing the need for escalation to the formal complaint stages or to Members. It is envisaged that this analysis could be used to identify any possible gaps in staff knowledge, s kills or processes and develop training programs to meet those specific needs. Going forward, a Customer Experience Contact report covering service request and complaint analysis will be developed, with the aim of identifying issues before they escalate into complaints and, by doing so , reduce the burden on our resources and develop a culture where service improvement is seen as the norm. The Housing Management Service has comprehensively reviewed its approach to learning from complaints and , earlier th is year, rolled out a revised approach to monitoring complaints and evidencing learning outcomes. Relevant service managers and the complaints manager have been involved in developing and implementing the approach. The stated objective of the approach is ‘ to enhance the council’s approach to handling and monitoring complaints in a fair and transparent manner, ensuring continuous improvement through identified learning outcomes’. Corporate Resources and Infrastructure Select Committee – 17 September 2024 Part I – Public The process covers extracting data from our new system, GOSS, organising this into a structured spreadsheet and filtering to share with relevant service managers. An online learning log form has been created for service managers to complete to capture learning outcomes identified and any changes to services, policies or procedures identified as a result. Collectively housing managers and Landlord Board collate and review the Learning Outcome forms and identify common themes and areas for improvement. These are then prioritised and necessary changes to services, policies and procedur es are implemented. The effectiveness of changes is monitored and reported on. This structured approach ensures that complaint handling is systematic, with clear steps for extracting, filtering, and sharing data. By requiring service managers to complete the Complaints Learning Outcome form, the process ensures that each complaint is thoroughly reviewed and leads to actionable improvements. Continuous monitoring and reporting uphold transparency and demonstrate the council’s commitment to service excellence. The Repairs and Voids Team keep a learning log from complaints and quarterly meetings are held to review and track changes to processes and procedures. There is a commitment to continuous learning and several changes have been made and embedded into service provision. Feedback we receive is used to improve our services and this includes the systems we have in place and where appropriate additional training for staff and Members on how to use the system(s), where to locate training material and information is provided. 7. Lessons Learnt Housing The Homeless Prevention team shared the ombudsman’s 2023 report More Home Truths with all the housing staff working in that team by way of a reminder to ensure that we monitor and follow up reviews for reviews of bandings. Finance Equalities refresher training was provided to front line staff in the Benefits department to ensure that requests for reasonable adjustments are acted on in accordance with our policies and procedures. In addition, the policy on the operation of the Restricted Persons Register and on Dealing with Unreasonable and Unreasonably Persistent Complainants have been added to the Council’s website to ensure that residents and staff are aware and clear on our approach. Children and Young People Services A review of social work practice and training was undertaken to ensure that officers follow the proper process to amend care plans of looked after children. This was to ensure that officers take into account the child’s wishes and feelings and the views of others when making long term care arrangements. All staff in the SEND area were reminded of the duties of the Council under section 19 of the Corporate Resources and Infrastructure Select Committee – 17 September 2024 Part I – Public Education Act 1996 and the need to ensure that when a child moves into our area the Education Health and Care plan needs to be updated, education provision provided and that parents are provided with regular updates. In addition, officers from the SEND team reviewed how they carry out due diligence for children and young people with EHC Plans who are unable to attend their named placement, with a view to preventing gaps in education. Adult Social Care Officers were reminded to update the Restricted Persons Register with any key changes, for example when a person has a Lasting Power of Attorney, so that an attorney can fulfil their legal duties for a person lacking capacity. The Council sent written reminders to all relevant staff to ensure they are aware that they should provide assessments under the Care Act 2014 to customers and their relatives without unnecessary delay. This is to ensure that there are no delays in completing assessments and that the necessary support is put in place promptly. Reminders were also issued to staff of the need to keep clear, accurate records of decisions on how long a care call should take in each individual’s circumstances. Reminders were also given that there is statutory guidance about when a person’s care and support plan should be reviewed and guidance on how to recognise a request for a review; and how the FREDA principles should be applied when commissioning domiciliary care. The service also reviewed the brokerage process to ensure that the Council proactively requests quotes from more than one provider where a care package is complex or likely to be high cost, to minimise delay putting a service in place. Anti-social behaviour The Council provided training and guidance to complaint handlers on the handling of complaints, the need to collect accurate information and the need to ensure that the complaint response contains accurate information. The service reviewed its process fo r taking action where someone does not comply with an abatement notice and particularly to remind staff of the need to take timely actions once it has agreed to take legal action. The service also reviewed a number of other processes such as:  Process and guidance to staff for assessing and investigating reports of fly tipping.  Monitoring of ongoing fly-tipping cases to keep in regular contact with those affected.  The system for reporting and monitoring fly-tipping cases to ensure it functions correctly. In addition, the service arranged training for officers investigating possible environmental crimes and best practice in those investigations; and reminded the relevant senior officers to investigate all aspects of a complaint. Corporate Resources and Infrastructure Select Committee – 17 September 2024 Part I – Public APPENDIX C COMPLAINT AND COMPLIMENT REPORT FOR HOUSING SERVICES FOR 2023/24 SUMMARY OF ANALYSIS I have set out below the data and outcomes of service requests, complaints and compliments for Housing Services in the period of 2019/20 to 2023/24. It indicates that service requests and Stage 1 complaints declined in number, while the number of Stage 2 complaints and Ombudsman investigations rose in 2023/24. It also refers to the removal of Stage 3 complaints as a step in the complaint process from 1 April 2024 and gives some examples of compliments received from residents. THE COMPLAINT PROCEDURE Housing complaints are managed in line with the Council's Corporate complaints procedure. This procedure operated as follows until 31 March 2024:  Service Requests  Stage 1 – response from the Head of Service or Director.  Stage 2 – response from a Director or Corporate Director of Place or Central Services  Stage 3 – response from the Chief Executive of the Council  Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman or Housing Ombudsman Service DETAILED COMPLAINT REPORT A detailed report of all complaints and compliments for Housing Services is set out below. a. SERVICE REQUESTS Resident feedback suggests a preference for immediate resolution of issues through direct dialogue with an officer/manager, rather than submitting formal complaints. When feasible, we aim to address concerns directly and will maintain this method moving forward. Table 1 - Service Requests Year Total 2019/20 457 2020/21 568 2021/22 1,039 2022/23 1,389 2023/24 1,122  There was a 19% reduction, equating to 267 fewer service requests, in the 2023/24 period with a total of 1,122 compared to the 1,389 recorded in 2022/23. The decrease in Service Corporate Resources and Infrastructure Select Committee – 17 September 2024 Part I – Public Requests largely resulted from the transition to an online system for complaint handling over an email -based approach and was also influenced by the less severe winter conditions. b. STAGE 1 COMPLAINTS A Head of Service or Director will aim to respond within 10 working days. Table 2 - Total number of Stage 1 complaints Period Total 2019/20 177 2020/21 231 2021/22 227 2022/23 259 2023/24 240  In 2023/24, there were 19 fewer Stage 1 complaints, a 7% decrease to 240 from the previous year’s 259. Table 3 - Outcome of complaints Period Upheld Partially upheld Not upheld Withdrawn Total 2019/20 18 40 113 6 177 2020/21 39 52 127 13 231 2021/22 17 40 160 10 227 2022/23 24 68 154 13 259 2023/24 20 43 169 8 240  Out of 240 Stage 1 complaints, 8% (20) were fully upheld, 18% (43) were partially upheld, 70% (169) were not upheld, and 4% (8) were either cancelled or withdrawn. c. STAGE 2 COMPLAINTS The Corporate Director for Place (or their delegate) will aim to respond to Stage 2 complaints within 20 working days. Table 4 - Total number of Stage 2 complaints Period Total 2019/20 31 2020/21 22 2021/22 42 2022/23 55 2023/24 93 Corporate Resources and Infrastructure Select Committee – 17 September 2024 Part I – Public  The number of Stage 2 complaints increased by 69%, from 55 in the year 2022/23 to 93 in 2023/24. A marked rise was seen in the Homeless Prevention service, with more individuals lodging complaints about issues such as their Locata banding, the time it is taking to be allocated accommodation, the application of the Social Housing Allocation Policy, etc. Table 5 – Outcome of complaints Period Upheld Partially upheld Not upheld/WD Total 2019/20 4 3 24 31 2020/21 6 4 12 22 2021/22 0 12 30 42 2022/23 2 15 38 55 2023/24 4 17 71 93  4% (four) of the Stage 2 complaints were fully upheld, 18% (fifteen) were partially upheld, and 78% (seventy-one) were not upheld. d. STAGE 3 COMPLAINTS At Stage 3, the Chief Executive commissions an investigation by an officer in Democratic Services and the aim is to respond within 15 working days. However, we will no longer be using this Stage from 1 April 2024. This is because the Local Government and S ocial Care Ombudsman and Housing Ombudsman Service introduced new/revised Complaint Handling Codes in February 2024. This has resulted in a two Stage Corporate complaint procedure and removes Stage 3 of our process. Cabinet approved the changes on 27 June 2024, and we began to apply it from 1 April 2024.  There were no Stage 3 investigations undertaken during 2023/24. e. INVESTIGATIONS BY THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND SOCIAL CARE OMBUDSMAN OR HOUSING OMBUDSMAN SERVICE Where it appears that a Council’s own investigations have not resolved the complaint, the complainant is entitled to refer their complaint to the relevant Ombudsman at any stage of the complaint process. Table 6 - Total number of Ombudsman investigations Period Total number 2019/20 15 2020/21 5 2021/22 19 2022/23 15 2023/24 20  33% (5) more investigations were concluded by the Ombudsman when comparing the 2022/23 figure of 15 with the 2023/24 figure of 20. A brief note of all 20 complaint Corporate Resources and Infrastructure Select Committee – 17 September 2024 Part I – Public investigations completed by the Ombudsmen for 2023/24 and the outcome is set out below: Corporate Resources and Infrastructure Select Committee – 17 September 2024 Part I – Public Adaptations 0677- 3777- 7373- 6243 Mr X complained on behalf of Ms Y, that the Council closed her application for a Disabled Facilities Grant when the Council knew they were waiting to move and that the equipment provided was damaged. Upheld – The Ombudsman found that the Council should not have closed Ms Y’s adaptations case when it did. The Council agreed to write to Mr X and Ms Y to confirm their adaptations case remains on hold while they resolve with their landlord whether they can move permanently. Homeless Prevention 0572- 4551- 8239- 0451 Miss X complained about the Council’s assessment of her housing application. She says that her current banding of Band B is not sufficient to reflect her daughter’s health needs. Did not investigate – The Ombudsman found that there was insufficient evidence of fault that would warrant an investigation. Homeless Prevention 0595- 2028- 9701- 3561 Mr X complained about the Council’s handling of his application for housing help in 2001. Mr X says this has caused serious mental health problems. He wants the Council to pay him compensation of £25 million. Did not investigate – The Ombudsman felt that it is more appropriate for the courts to investigate this matter. Homeless Prevention 1629- 1657- 3129- 9139 Miss J complains about the Council failing to properly consider her request to review its decision about her housing allocation priority awarded. Partially upheld - The Ombudsman found no fault on Miss J’s complaint about the Council failing to properly consider the suitability of her accommodation. However, they did find that there was a 6-week delay in considering the medical information she Corporate Resources and Infrastructure Select Committee – 17 September 2024 Part I – Public sent. This caused no significant injustice to her as the review confirmed she was in the correct band. Homeless Prevention 2550- 1314- 9545- 7233 Ms X complained the Council was taking too long to re-house her despite providing evidence of her health conditions and the property being overcrowded. Did not investigate – The Ombudsman found that there was insufficient evidence of fault in the Council’s actions. Homeless Prevention 2737- 8138- 6032- 8769 Miss X complained about the Council’s offers of accommodation and discharge of its homeless relief duty in 2023. Did not investigate – The Ombudsman found that there was insufficient evidence of fault which would warrant an investigation Homeless Prevention 4321- 5496- 4864- 9689 Miss X has three young children, one of whom has special needs. She complains. the Council placed her in unsuitable Temporary Accommodation which had damp and mould and where there was evidence of rats. Upheld – The Ombudsman found that the Council did not write to Miss X to explain that she had the right of review and appeal to challenge the suitability of the temporary accommodation. To recognise the three weeks Miss X spent in unsuitable accommodation, the Council agreed to pay a small sum of money to Ms X. Homeless Prevention 5096- 8412- 9252- 0963 Ms X complains there were failings in the way the Council dealt with her homeless application, housing allocation application and responded to her complaints about the matter. Upheld – The Ombudsman found that there was evidence of fault and service failure by the Council. The Council apologised to Ms X and made a small payment of compensation in recognition of the uncertainty and frustration caused by its delay in considering whether it had a prevention duty towards Ms X. Corporate Resources and Infrastructure Select Committee – 17 September 2024 Part I – Public Homeless Prevention 5836- 3947- 1546- 5757 Mr X complained that the Council failed to refer his case to the Care Leavers Panel sooner so it could consider whether to award him Band B priority on the Housing Register. Upheld – The Ombudsman found that the Council did not follow the correct procedure when it awarded Band B priority but that this fault did not cause injustice to Mr X as the time Mr X has waited for social housing is not due to any fault by the Council. The Council agreed to complete a medical assessment for Mr X and inform him of the outcome. If this should lead to a higher priority on the Housing Register, it will backdate the award. The Council will also review its current practice of not making referrals to the Care Leavers panel if the young person has housing-related debts. Homeless Prevention 6607- 0275- 5527- 2698 Ms X complained that the Council had not correctly followed the allocations policy in relation to bedroom size. Did not investigate – The Ombudsman found that it was clear from the Council’s Social Housing Allocation Policy that two children under ten are allocated one bedroom, regardless of their sex. Homeless Prevention 9160- 4615- 3970- 7093 Mrs X complains about her personal financial details being added to her relative’s Council records. She says the relative showed her the records which caused her a lot of distress and anxiety. Did not investigate - The Ombudsman took the view that it was for the Information Commissioner Office to consider this issue. Homeless Prevention 9363- 5167- 0330- 8626 Ms X is complaining that the Council misled her into thinking it had offered her a property. Ms X wants the Council to provide her with long-term accommodation as a Did not investigate – The Ombudsman found that there was no sign of any fault by the Council regarding this matter. Corporate Resources and Infrastructure Select Committee – 17 September 2024 Part I – Public remedy for her complaint. Housing Repairs & Maintenance 0384- 6548- 1321- 5040 Ms X complained that the Council failed to fully investigate issues she raised about repairs to her balcony. Upheld – The Ombudsman found that the Council had not fully investigated her balcony repair concerns. The Council agreed to appoint a surveyor to inspect the balcony and provide a report on the balcony. If any works are recommended, the Council would let Ms X know and the timescale for completing the work. The Council also agreed to include within its Repairs Policy, repair responsibilities which extend to balconies. Housing Repairs & Maintenance 3000- 5223- 6662- 3742 The complaint is about the landlord’s handling of the resident’s reports of hot water and heating loss. Upheld - The Ombudsman found that the Council had failed to provide temporary heating to the resident nor offered compensation to recognise the period of 5 days during which she was without heating. The Council agreed to: 1. review the resident’s electricity bill and offer a fair and reasonable contribution towards her increased utility costs as a result of using temporary heaters in the property. 2. review its staff training in the application of its repairs policy to ensure that residents are provided with alternative heating when there is a total loss of heating in the property. 3. paid the resident a small amount in compensation for the inconvenience caused. Housing Repairs & Maintenance 6607- 2492- 0185- 8444 Mrs X complained that the Council was negligent in installing an access gate which came off in high winds and damaged her car. The Council has denied liability for the damage but Did not investigate – The Ombudsman found that it would be reasonable for Mrs X to take the matter to court. Corporate Resources and Infrastructure Select Committee – 17 September 2024 Part I – Public Mrs X believes it should pay her compensation. Housing Repairs & Maintenance 8206- 0328- 2994- 2888 Ms X complained about the Council’s handling of boiler repair reports she had reported. Not Upheld – The Ombudsman did not investigate the complaints relating to 2019/2020 as they were not raised with the Council within a reasonable time, which is normally six months. There was also no maladministration in the Council’s handling of repairs to the resident’s thermostat, radiators, and boiler or in the Council’s handling of the complaint. The Ombudsman did though recommend that the Council review how it records repairs. The documents could be clearer on when repairs were reported and how they were reported Tenancy Management 1731- 8557- 6466- 9048 Mr X complained about the Council’s handling of his reports of soot-like deposits falling onto his balcony. Upheld – The Ombudsman found that the Council did not take reasonable action to meet Mr X’s request to have his concerns about the soot assessed by an environmental health officer. The Council agreed to apologise to the resident. Tenancy Management 3350- 5892- 4599- 1054 Mr X complained about the Council’s handling of his reports about staff conduct following his interactions with an officer via telephone Partially upheld – The Ombudsman found that his report about staff conduct was not well handled but The Council agreed to remind staff of the need for professionalism and respect when addressing residents. Corporate Resources and Infrastructure Select Committee – 17 September 2024 Part I – Public f. COMPLIMENTS Table 7 – number of compliments recorded Period Total number 2019/20 92 2020/21 132 2021/22 167 2022/23 81 2023/24 93  The number of compliments increased by 15%, from 81 in the 2022/23 period to 93 in the 2023/24 period, reflecting an additional 12 compliments received. Here’s what some people said about Housing Services: and email and that there was a delay in receiving a response from an officer regarding the medical evidence he was asked to submit. did not find any maladministration in respect of the Council’s handling of the medical evidence. Tenancy Management 3953- 4948- 0231- 0587 Ms X complained about the way the Council has managed her housing situation after she agreed to hold a tenancy in trust. Did not investigate - The Ombudsman found that there was insufficient evidence of fault by the Council. Tenancy Management 4695- 4416- 4691- 6736 Mr X is a leaseholder of a property where the Council owns the freehold. He complains about the behaviour of two council officers when they visited his property to check if he had the necessary permissions for building works. Did not investigate – The Ombudsman found that as Mr X’s complaint is about the management of housing let on a long lease agreement by a Council that is a registered social housing provider, and the Ombudsman will not look at the associated complaints process in isolation. Corporate Resources and Infrastructure Select Committee – 17 September 2024 Part I – Public “I wanna start by saying thank you so much for all the help you have done for me you have been amazing. You really are one of them people who really are here to help and understand so thank you so much for everything.” “Just wanted to give xxxx a big shout out, he did an outstanding job last week. Not only did he manage to resolve the hot water issues in the shower mixer, he did so under very difficult circumstances. xxxx displayed excellent customer service skills with this resident, Mrs xxxx, who can be very difficult and gets very agitated easily. She continually follows officers around, stands over officers while working and prevents officers from leaving if she thinks they are not going to fix the problem. xxxx remained calm, professional and showed respect for Mrs xxx at all times. Mrs xxxx expressed her gratitude for xxxx perseverance in resolving the issues with her shower.” “A professional Plumber turned up this morning at 0800, I told him what had happened, he looked at the system, ripped the lot out, placed a new unit inside and bingo it’s never worked so well !!!!!! What a delightful skilled person. Thanks as always for your help.” “Please can you pass on our congratulations to the team who completed the painting last week. Miss xxxx was absolutely delighted with the team and the quality of work.” “I hope you are keeping safe and well. I just wanted to email you to say thank you very much for getting the concrete fixed as that badly needed fixing. I would also like to say what wonderful service we received from xxx on behalf of xxxx as he really went out of his way to ensure that the work was completed in good time. His communication and care to the customer was exemplary and he went the extra mile at all times from his first visit to look at the work that needed to be done and kept in contact every step of the way throughout the works being started and completed to ensure that we were in the loop and happy with the completion. xxxx is a pleasure to deal with and his easy-going nature and friendly but professional approach really were outstanding. He is a great representative of xxxx as a company. Thank you so much for all the help.” “I would like to say 'thanks' to the plumber who came today, he knew exactly straight away what the problem was & repaired it. It has been a problem for a while & was not repaired on other visits! He is a very happy helpful young man.” Corporate Resources and Infrastructure Select Committee – 17 September 2024 Part I – Public APPENDIX D COMPLAINT AND COMPLIMENT REPORT FOR ADULT SOCIAL CARE FOR 2023/24 SUMMARY OF ANALYSIS A comprehensive analysis is provided covering the period from 2019/20 to 2023/24. The report provides information on service requests, stage 1 complaints, Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman investigations, and compliments with key findings or comments. The report also incorporates some feedback from people who expressed their satisfaction with Adult Social Care Services. THE COMPLAINT PROCEDURE The procedure for dealing with Adult Social Care complaints is regulated by the ‘The Local Authority Social Services and National Health Service Complaints (England) Regulations 2009’. This procedure is far less prescriptive and allows for early escalation to the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman should the complainant be dissatisfied with the response from the Local Authority. The intention of this procedure is to achieve resolution at the first attempt, to remove bureaucracy and is designed to emp ower complainants in shaping the approach to resolving the complaint from the outset.  The Informal Complaint (service request).  Stage 1 – response from a director or Assistant Director or Head of Service of the area complained about.  Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman. DETAILED COMPLAINT REPORT A detailed explanation of all complaints and compliments for Adult Social Care is set out below. a. SERVICE REQUESTS Resident feedback suggests a preference for immediate resolution of issues through direct dialogue with an officer/manager, rather than submitting formal complaints. When feasible, we aim to address concerns directly and will maintain this method moving forward. Table 8 – Service Requests Year Total 2019/20 53 2020/21 52 2021/22 80 2022/23 72 2023/24 72  The number of Service requests received for 2022/23 and 2023/24 are the same. Corporate Resources and Infrastructure Select Committee – 17 September 2024 Part I – Public b. STAGE 1 COMPLAINT - LOCAL RESOLUTION At Stage 1 of the complaint process a director or Assistant Director or Head of Service will carry out an investigation and aim to respond within 20 working days. Table 9 - Total number of Stage 1 complaints recorded Period Total number 2019/20 45 2020/21 48 2021/22 50 2022/23 37 2023/24 31  A reduction of 16% in Stage 1 complaints, from 37 in 2022/23 to 31 in 2023/24. Table 10 - Outcome of complaints Period Upheld Partially upheld Not upheld Withdrawn/cancelled Total 2019/20 10 9 25 1 45 2020/21 9 11 26 2 48 2021/22 8 9 29 4 50 2022/23 7 10 18 2 37 2023/24 2 5 22 2 31  Out of the 31 Stage 1 complaints responded to, 2 (6%) were fully upheld, 5 (16%) were partially upheld, 22 (71%) not upheld, and 2 were either withdrawn or cancelled. These statistics are consistent with those of previous years. c. LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND SOCIAL CARE OMBUDSMAN INVESTIGATIONS (LGO) Where it appears that a Council’s own investigation ha s not resolved the complaint, the complainant is entitled to refer their complaint to the LGO and at any stage of the complaint process. Table 11 - Total number of LGO investigations Period Total Number 2019/20 8 2020/21 4 2021/22 7 2022/23 6 2023/24 8 Corporate Resources and Infrastructure Select Committee – 17 September 2024 Part I – Public  The number of investigations undertaken by the Ombudsman remains broadly similar when comparing figures from 1 April 2019 to 31 March 2024. A brief note of all 8 complaint investigations completed by the Ombudsmen for 2023/24 and the outcome is set out below: Corporate Resources and Infrastructure Select Committee – 17 September 2024 Part I – Public Service Complaint reference Summary of complaint LGO decision Agreed action Adult Social Care (ASC) 7654- 1263- 0484-1459 Mr D complained that the Council delayed completing an assessment of his care needs and it delayed putting necessary support in place. He also says the Council initially refused to allow him to have an advocate and it refused to properly deal with his complaints. Upheld – The Ombudsman found that the Council was at fault for its delay in sending Mr D a copy of his assessment. There was also some fault with how it dealt with the concerns Mr D raised about its service. The Council agreed to apologise to Mr D, pay him a small amount in compensation and to issue written reminders to relevant staff to ensure they are aware that they should provide assessments under the Care Act 2014 to customers and their relatives without unnecessary delay. ASC - Extra Care Services 0320- 3739- 7171-8910 Mr B says the residential services the Council arranged for him at a substance misuse rehabilitation centre was defective and added to his distress, anxiety and mental state while trying to overcome addiction. Did not investigate - The Ombudsman will not investigate Mr B’s complaint because they could not add to the care provider’s response on behalf of the Council, the remedy it has offered is suitable to the injustice Mr B claims, and CQC is better placed to consider wider performance issues. The care provider offered to remedy any injustice to Mr B by increasing post- treatment family therapy sessions from two to four at no extra cost (to the Council); increasing one-to-one counselling sessions to twice weekly until end of Mr B’s programme and providing a one-to-one session when Mr B would move on to ‘phase 3’ of the programme in the community. ASC - Quality Assurance 5554- 5570- 4627-9509 Miss X complained on behalf of her family member, Miss Y that the Council failed to consider all the evidence available when it refused to provide post-16 travel assistance to Miss Y. Upheld - The Ombudsman found that there was no fault in the way the Council decided not to award Miss Y travel assistance but there was fault in the Council’s record keeping. The Council agreed to apologise to Ms Y for the uncertainty it caused when it referred to Miss Y by the wrong pronoun in its decision letter, and by its incorrect recording of her personal details in its stage two bundle summary. ASC - Safeguarding 1747- 6669- 0047-8669 Mr X complained the Council wrongly disclosed confidential Did not investigate - The Ombudsman will Corporate Resources and Infrastructure Select Committee – 17 September 2024 Part I – Public Adults - MASH personal and sensitive information that he had provided to it, to a third party. Mr X says the disclosure has torn his family apart. not investigate this complaint as this is a matter for the Information Commissioner’s Office. ASC 5025- 0197- 4013-3636 Mr X complained that the Council had refused to pay invoices for physiotherapy services provided. Did not investigate – The Ombudsman found that it reasonable to expect Mr X to take the matter to court. Adults Care Home Providers 9480210 Mr C complained his care provider damaged his headphones by putting them in the washing machine. Mr C says carers have caused damage to other items in his property and has photographic evidence to support this. Did not investigate – The Ombudsman found that it would be reasonable for Mr C to make a claim against his care provider through his own insurers or the court. Adults Care Complaints - North 8824111 Mr B complained about the delay by a Trust, Council and Integrated Care Board in discharging him from section 117 of the Mental Health Act aftercare. Mr B said the delay led to distress, and anxiety Did not investigate- The Ombudsman found that although there was a delay in informing Mr B of the discharge, he has received an apology, and the Ombudsman would not add anything further by investigating the case. Adults Care Complaints - North 9372294 Mr Y complained about the Council’s decision to restrict his contact and that it directly interfered with his legal obligations as Lasting Power of Attorney. Partially upheld – The Ombudsman found that there was some fault in some elements of Mr Y’s complaint which caused him injustice such as The Council agreed to apologise to Mr Y for the identified faults. Corporate Resources and Infrastructure Select Committee – 17 September 2024 Part I – Public d. COMPLIMENTS Table 12 - Number of compliments recorded Period Total number 2019/20 65 2020/21 92 2021/22 33 2022/23 23 2023/24 21  There was a modest reduction in the number of compliments received, with 21 recorded for the year 2023/24 compared to 23 in the previous year 2022/23. Here’s what some people said about Adult Social Care Services “We are delighted with the wonderful news that xxxx will receive 7hrs. 1:1 weekend support. Those extra hours will make such a difference to xxxx’s mental health and we look forward to seeing a much happier young man in the coming weeks. Our sincere thanks, xxxxx for your effort in helping to bring this to a happy conclusion.” “I thank you for your help with what was a difficult time for the family and our Carers help was something I shall never forget. She had had 9 months off work to have her baby and it was so nice that we got back in touch at that time especially since she wasn’t sure if she would be able to work so soon with childcare considerations of her own. Thank you for all the patient support you provided during our relationship with my sons Carer, xxxx.” “Thank you for the very friendly and professional approach. You made the review very smooth and easy. Thank you for all your help. We wish you the best for the future.” “It appears that mother has settled in well at Clare House, so on behalf of my sisters and myself, we would like to say a thank you to you, and your whole team, at Social Services for the help and advice you gave over the past four months. A special thanks goes to you personally, for the little amount of time we knew you, and the vast amount of effort you put in, so once again thank you, even mother had confidence in you more than others that had visited her. Could you also say a big thank you to xxxx of O T again a wonderful woman who helped and guided mother more than others.” the failure to include all relevant grounds for implementing contact restrictions in its 6 April 2022 letter and wrongly recording on the RPR that Mr Y did not have consent to receive information Corporate Resources and Infrastructure Select Committee – 17 September 2024 Part I – Public “I just wanted to drop you a quick line to thank you for everything you did getting mum rehoused. You were absolutely amazing! Without your help she’d still be there, sitting in the corner just waiting to die but now she’s as happy as a lark with a new will to live! She’s eating properly and is just so happy…. And that wouldn’t be possible without your help…. And she tells me that you even popped round for a visit! You really are a star. From the bottom of my heart, I thank you.” Corporate Resources and Infrastructure Select Committee – 17 September 2024 Part I – Public APPENDIX E COMPLAINT REPORT FOR CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE SERVICE'S FOR 2023/24 SUMMARY OF ANALYSIS I have provided an analysis of the complaints and compliments received by the Children and Young People Service from 2019/20 to 2023/24. It provides information on the number and outcome of service requests, Stage 1, Stage 2, Stage 3, and LGO investigations, as well as the number of compliments recorded. It also includes some quotes from people who praised the service. The report shows that the service has recorded fewer Stage 1 complaints and resolved more issues through informal approaches, the number of Ombudsman investigations has risen and recorded fewer compliments than the previous year. THE COMPLAINT PROCEDURE Complaints made by children or on their behalf are governed by the Children's Act 1989, Representations Procedure (England) Regulations 2006 (Statutory Instrument 2006 No. 1738). This sets out the statutory three-stage complaint procedure that Local Authorities are required to follow when dealing with complaints made by for example any child or young person, any local authority foster carer, a child or young person leaving care, etc. Hillingdon’s procedure operates as follows:  Service Request  Stage 1 – Local Resolution - response from an Assistant Director or Head of Service.  Stage 2 – Independent Investigation by two people (Investigating Officer and Independent Person).  Stage 3 – Review Panel comprising of three independent people  Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman. DETAILED COMPLAINT REPORT A detailed report of all complaints and compliments for Children and Young People Service 's is set out below. a. SERVICE REQUESTS Resident feedback suggests a preference for immediate resolution of issues through direct dialogue with an officer/manager, rather than submitting formal complaints. When feasible, we aim to address concerns directly and will maintain this method moving forward. Table 13 – Service Requests Year Total 2019/20 88 Corporate Resources and Infrastructure Select Committee – 17 September 2024 Part I – Public 2020/21 86 2021/22 106 2022/23 62 2023/24 85  In the 2023/24 period, there was an increase of 37% (23 additional) service requests, totalling 85, compared with the 62 requests recorded in the 2022/23 period. b. STAGE 1 – LOCAL RESOLUTION An Assistant Director or Head of Service will investigate and aim to respond to complaints within 10 working days. Table 14 - Total number of complaints recorded Period Total number 2019/20 71 2020/21 87 2021/22 69 2022/23 76 2023/24 46  There was a 39% decrease in Stage 1 complaints, with a drop from the previous year's total of 76 to 46 in the current fiscal period. Although this reduction is balanced by an increase in Service Requests, it indicates that Officers were more successful in addressing complaints through less formal resolutions. Table 15 - Outcome of complaints Period Upheld Partially upheld Not upheld Withdrawn Total 2019/20 9 21 37 4 71 2020/21 9 25 47 6 87 2021/22 7 15 45 2 69 2022/23 12 21 41 2 76 2023/24 2 14 29 1 46  Out of 46 initial complaints logged, 4% (2) were upheld, 30% (14) were partially upheld, 63% (29) were not upheld, and 1 was withdrawn. The statistics align with those of previous years. c. STAGE 2 INVESTIGATIONS A Stage 2 investigation is conducted by an Investigating Officer (IO) and Independent Person (IP) with specialist skills and knowledge of the Children's Act. The timescale to conclude such an investigation is set by statute at 25 working days but this may be extended to a maximum of 65 working days. Table 16 – Total number of Stage 2 complaints recorded Period Total number Corporate Resources and Infrastructure Select Committee – 17 September 2024 Part I – Public 2019/20 0 2020/21 0 2021/22 0 2022/23 0 2023/24 6  There were no Stage 2 investigations undertaken under the Children Act 1989 Representations Procedure (England) Regulations 2006.  The 6 Stage 2 complaints related to the SEND service and these complaints are processed in accordance with the Council’s Corporate complaints procedure. This is because the children’s statutory complaints procedure is for specific sections of the Children Act 1989 and it does not include the Council's duties with regards to Special Education Needs, which come under the Children and Families Act 2014. d. STAGE 3 INVESTIGATIONS At Stage 3 of the statutory complaint process, three people independent of the Council, will consider the complaint and wherever possible work towards a resolution. The timescale to conclude such an investigation is 45 working days.  There were no Stage 3 investigations commissioned during this period. e. INVESTIGATION BY THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND SOCIAL CARE OMBUDSMAN (LGO) Where it appears that a Council’s own investigations have not resolved the complaint, the complainant is entitled to refer their complaint to the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman and at any stage of the complaint process. Table 17 – Total number of LGO investigations Period Total number 2019/20 1 2020/21 1 2021/22 3 2022/23 2 2023/24 4  The Ombudsman completed 4 investigations in the year 2023/24. A brief note of all 4 complaint investigations completed by the Ombudsmen for 2023/24 and the outcome is set out below: Corporate Resources and Infrastructure Select Committee – 17 September 2024 Part I – Public Children and Young People’s Service (CYPS) - Youth Justice and Adolescent Services 1660- 0714- 3590- 6375 Mrs X complained that the Council refused to issue refunds for summer activities her children could no longer attend. Did not investigate - The Ombudsman found that there was insufficient evidence of fault that would warrant an investigation. SEND 3572- 3790- 4041- 4146 Ms X complained that the Council delayed in producing her child’s Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP)and that this happened ahead of a key transfer in his education and caused him to miss the opportunity to begin primary school in a specialist placement. Upheld – The Ombudsman found that the Council delayed by 23 weeks in finalising her son’s EHCP, failed to consult the specialist school Ms X requested in a timely way, and communicated poorly with Ms X during this time. The Council agreed to apologise and pay Ms X a small sum of compensation in recognition of the distress and uncertainty caused by the delay. The Council also agreed to carry out several service improvements. SEND 7171- 1703- 6097- 4373 Ms B complained that the Council failed to provide education to her son; failed to keep her up to date with what was happening and respond to her queries and telephone calls. Upheld - The Ombudsman found that the Council failed to put in place education for part of the period, did not always respond to Ms B’s queries and failed to meet with her as it agreed to do. The Council agreed to apologise to Ms B for the distress and frustration she experienced and pay her a sum of money in compensation. By way of service improvements, the Council agreed to send a reminder to officers about the Council’s section 19 responsibility to ensure a child receives education and the need to consider making a referral for a tutor at an early stage if a school cannot be identified.

Corporate Resources and Infrastructure Select Committee – 17 September 2024 CABINET FORWARD PLAN Committee name Corporate Resources & Infrastructure Select Committee Officer reporting Anisha Teji, Democratic Services Papers with report Appendix A – Latest Forward Plan Ward As shown on the Forward Plan HEADLINES To monitor the Cabinet’s latest Forward Plan which sets out key decisions and other decisions to be taken by the Cabinet collectively and Cabinet Members individually over the coming year. The report sets out the actions available to the Committee. RECOMMENDATION That the Committee considers the Cabinet Forward Plan. SUPPORTING INFORMATION The Cabinet Forward Plan is published monthly, usually around the first or second week of each month. It is a rolling document giving the required public notice of future key decisions to be taken. Should a later edition of the Forward Plan be published after this agenda has been circulated, Democratic Services will update the Committee on any new items or changes at the meeting. As part of its Terms of Reference, each Select Committee should consider the Forward Plan and, if it deems necessary, comment as appropriate to the decision -maker on the items listed which relate to services within its remit. For reference, the Forward Plan helpfully details which Select Committee’s remit covers the relevant future decision item listed. The Select Committee’s monitoring role of the Forward Plan can be undertaken in a variety of ways, including both pre-decision and post-decision scrutiny of the items listed. The provision of advance information on future items listed (potentially also draft reports) to the Committee in advance will often depend upon a variety of factors including timing or feasibility, and ultimately any such request would rest with the relevant Cabinet Member to decide. However, the 2019 Protocol on Overview & Scrutiny and Cabinet Relations (part of the Hillingdon Constitution) does provide guidance to Cabinet Members to:  Actively support the provision of relevant Council information and other requests from the Committee as part of their work programme;  Where feasible, provide opportunities for committees to provide their input on forthcoming executive reports as set out in the Forward Plan to enable wider pre -decision scrutiny (in addition to those statutorily required to come before committees , i.e. policy framework documents – see para. below). As mentioned above, there is both a constitutional and statutory requirement for Select Committees to provide comments on the Cabinet’s draft budget and policy framework proposals after publication. These are automatically scheduled in advance to multi-year work programmes. Corporate Resources and Infrastructure Select Committee – 17 September 2024 Therefore, in general, the Committee may consider the following actions on specific items listed on the Forward Plan: Committee action When How 1 To provide specific comments to be included in a future Cabinet or Cabinet Member report on matters within its remit. As part of its pre-decision scrutiny role, this would be where the Committee wishes to provide its influence and views on a particular matter within the formal report to the Cabinet or Cabinet Member before the decision is made. This would usually be where the Committee has previously considered a draft report or the topic in detail, or where it considers it has sufficient information already to provide relevant comments to the decision-maker. These would go within the standard section in every Cabinet or Cabinet Member report called “Select Committee comments”. The Cabinet or Cabinet Member would then consider these as part of any decision they make. 2 To request further information on future reports listed under its remit. As part of its pre-decision scrutiny role, this would be where the Committee wishes to discover more about a matter within its remit that is listed on the Forward Plan. Whilst such advance information can be requested from officers, the Committee should note that information may or may not be available in advance due to various factors, including timescales or the status of the drafting of the report itself and the formulation of final recommendation(s). Ultimately, the provision of any information in advance would be a matter for the Cabinet Member to decide. This would be considered at a subsequent Select Committee meeting. Alternatively, information could be circulated outside the meeting if reporting timescales require this. Upon the provision of any information, the Select Committee may then decide to provide specific comments (as per 1 above). 3 To request the Cabinet Member considers providing a draft of the report, if feasible, for the Select Committee to consider prior to it being considered formally for decision. As part of its pre-decision scrutiny role, this would be where the Committee wishes to provide an early steer or help shape a future report to Cabinet, e.g., on a policy matter. Whilst not the default position, Select Committees do occasionally receive draft versions of Cabinet reports prior to their formal consideration. The provision of such draft reports in advance may depend upon different factors, e.g., the timings required for that decision. Ultimately any request to see a draft report early would need the approval of the relevant Cabinet Member. Democratic Services would contact the relevant Cabinet Member and Officer upon any such request. If agreed, the draft report would be considered at a subsequent Select Committee meeting to provide views and feedback to officers before they finalise it for the Cabinet or Cabinet Member. An opportunity to provide specific comments (as per 1 above) is also possible. 4 To identify a forthcoming report that may merit a post- decision review at a later Select Committee meeting As part of its post-decision scrutiny and broader reviewing role, this would be where the Select Committee may wish to monitor the implementation of a certain Cabinet or Cabinet Member decision listed/taken at a later stage, i.e., to review its effectiveness after a period of 6 months. The Committee should note that this is different to the use of the post-decision scrutiny ‘call-in’ power which seeks to ask the Cabinet or Cabinet Member to formally re-consider a decision up to 5 working days after the decision notice has been issued. This is undertaken via the new Scrutiny Call-in App members of the relevant Select Committee. The Committee would add the matter to its multi- year work programme after a suitable time has elapsed upon the decision expected to be made by the Cabinet or Cabinet Member. Relevant service areas may be best to advise on the most appropriate time to review the matter once the decision is made. BACKGROUND PAPERS  Protocol on Overview & Scrutiny and Cabinet relations adopted by Council 12 September 2019  Scrutiny Call-in App

Ref Scheduled Upcoming Decisions Further details Ward(s) Final decision by Full Council Cabinet Member(s) Responsible Relevant Select Committee Directorate / Lead Officer Consultation related to the decision NEW ITEM Public or Private (with reason) 235 Multi Lot - Kitchen and Bathroom Replacement Programme Following a procurement exercise, Cabinet will consider the appointment of up to four contractors to four different Lots for the Kitchen and Bathroom Replacement Programme. N/A Cllr Jonathan Bianco - Property, Highways & Transport Corporate Resources & Infrastructure P - Paul Soward / Merrick Knight NEW ITEM Private (3) 208 London Borough of Hillingdon Digital Strategy Cabinet will consider approval of a new Digital Strategy for the London Borough of Hillingdon setting out the digital journey of the Council over the coming years and how the Council will embrace and maximise the use of new technologies to deliver and transform services, whilst also supporting residents' digital engagement with the Council. N/A Cllr Douglas Mills Corporate Resources & Infrastructure D - Matthew Wallbridge Corporate Resources & Infrastructure Select Committee in September Public SI Public Preview of matters to be considered in private A report to Cabinet to provide maximum transparency to residents on the private and confidential matters to be considered later in Part 2 of the Cabinet meeting and agenda. TBC All Cabinet Members All C - Democratic Services Public SI Monthly Council Budget - monitoring report The Cabinet receives a monthly report setting out in detail the Council’s revenue and capital position and other key financial decisions required. All Cllr Martin Goddard - Finance Corporate Resources & Infrastructure R - Richard Ennis / Iain Watters / Andy Goodwin Public SI Consideration of setting a licensed deficit budget for any schools in the Borough A standard report each year, where Cabinet may consider whether it is required to set any licensed deficit budget for any schools that have applied. TBC Cllr Susan O'Brien - Children, Families & Education / Cllr Martin Goddard - Finance Corporate Resources & Infrastructure R - Danny Doherty Private (3) SI Monthly Council Budget - monitoring report The Cabinet receives a monthly report setting out in detail the Council’s revenue and capital position and other key financial decisions required. All Cllr Martin Goddard - Finance Corporate Resources & Infrastructure R - Richard Ennis / Iain Watters / Andy Goodwin Public SI Public Preview of matters to be considered in private A report to Cabinet to provide maximum transparency to residents on the private and confidential matters to be considered later in Part 2 of the Cabinet meeting and agenda. TBC All Cabinet Members All C - Democratic Services Public Cabinet meeting - Thursday 10 October 2024 (report deadline 23 September) SI = Standard Item each month/regularly Council Directorate/Service Areas: AS = Adult Services & Health P = Place C = Central Services R = Resources CS= Children's Services D = Digital & Intelligence Cabinet meeting - Thursday 12 December 2024 (report deadline 25 November) Cabinet meeting - Thursday 7 November 2024 (report deadline 21 October) 1 Ref Scheduled Upcoming Decisions Further details Ward(s) Final decision by Full Council Cabinet Member(s) Responsible Relevant Select Committee Directorate / Lead Officer Consultation related to the decision NEW ITEM Public or Private (with reason) SI = Standard Item each month/regularly Council Directorate/Service Areas: AS = Adult Services & Health P = Place C = Central Services R = Resources CS= Children's Services D = Digital & Intelligence SI Minor Property Transactions A regular report to Cabinet on minor property matters that may arise during the course of the year that require a Cabinet decision. These will relate to discounted leases to voluntary sector organisations and/or any easements, wayleaves and leases relating to utilities in order to support the Council's capital programmes and other such similar matters. All Cllr Jonathan Bianco - Property, Highways & Transport Corporate Resources & Infrastructure P - James Raven Private (3) SI Monthly Council Budget - monitoring report The Cabinet receives a monthly report setting out in detail the Council’s revenue and capital position and other key financial decisions required. All Cllr Martin Goddard - Finance Corporate Resources & Infrastructure R - Iain Watters / Andy Goodwin Public SI Minor Property Transactions A regular report to Cabinet on minor property matters that may arise during the course of the year that require a Cabinet decision. These will relate to discounted leases to voluntary sector organisations and/or any easements, wayleaves and leases relating to utilities in order to support the Council's capital programmes and other such similar matters. All Cllr Jonathan Bianco - Property, Highways & Transport Corporate Resources & Infrastructure P - James Raven Private (3) SI Public Preview of matters to be considered in private A report to Cabinet to provide maximum transparency to residents on the private and confidential matters to be considered later in Part 2 of the Cabinet meeting and agenda. TBC All Cabinet Members All C - Democratic Services Public SI The Schools Budget 2025/26 Cabinet will asked to agree the Schools Budget for the next financial year, following a recommendation from the Schools Forum. All Cllr Susan O'Brien - Children, Families & Education / Cllr Martin Goddard - Finance Corporate Resources & Infrastructure R - Danny Doherty Schools Forum Public SI Public Preview of matters to be considered in private A report to Cabinet to provide maximum transparency to residents on the private and confidential matters to be considered later in Part 2 of the Cabinet meeting and agenda. TBC All Cabinet Members All CS - Democratic Services Public SI Minor Property Transactions A regular report to Cabinet on minor property matters that may arise during the course of the year that require a Cabinet decision. These will relate to discounted leases to voluntary sector organisations and/or any easements, wayleaves and leases relating to utilities in order to support the Council's capital programmes and other such similar matters. All Cllr Jonathan Bianco - Property, Highways & Transport Corporate Resources & Infrastructure P - James Raven Private (3) Cabinet meeting - Thursday 13 February 2025 (report deadline 27 January 2025) Cabinet meeting - Thursday 9 January 2025 (report deadline 9 December 2024) 2 Ref Scheduled Upcoming Decisions Further details Ward(s) Final decision by Full Council Cabinet Member(s) Responsible Relevant Select Committee Directorate / Lead Officer Consultation related to the decision NEW ITEM Public or Private (with reason) SI = Standard Item each month/regularly Council Directorate/Service Areas: AS = Adult Services & Health P = Place C = Central Services R = Resources CS= Children's Services D = Digital & Intelligence SI Monthly Council Budget - monitoring report The Cabinet receives a monthly report setting out in detail the Council’s revenue and capital position and other key financial decisions required. All Cllr Martin Goddard - Finance Corporate Resources & Infrastructure R - Richard Ennis / Iain Watters / Andy Goodwin Public SI Ward Budget Initiative To approve the spending of Ward Budgets following applications from Ward Councillors - this will be done on a monthly or regular cycle. All Cllr Douglas Mills - Corporate Services / Cllr Ian Edwards - Leader of the Council (if in Ruislip Manor ward) Corporate Resources & Infrastructure P - Natasha Norton Local consultation within the Ward undertaken by Ward Councillors Public SI Business, shops and commercial rents, leases, surrenders and renewals To approve various rents, leases, surrenders and lease renewals for a variety of businesses, organisations, properties or via commercial transactions, as per thresholds for decision- making set out in the Procurement and Contract Standing Orders. Various Cllr Jonathan Bianco - Property, Highways & Transport Corporate Resources & Infrastructure P - James Raven Private (3) SI To consider rent reviews To consider rent reviews of commercial and other premises. tbc Cllr Jonathan Bianco - Property, Highways & Transport Corporate Resources & Infrastructure P - James Raven Private (1,2,3) SI Housing Buy-Back / The purchase of ex Council properties or new private properties for the Council's housing supply Cabinet Member may determine, as and when required, the purchase and aquisition of new properties as part of the Housing Buy-back Scheme or using HRA funds to increase the affordable housing stock within the Borough. TBC Relevant Portfolio Cabinet Members Corporate Resources & Infrastructure C - Dan Kennedy / Ben Sargent Private (1,2,3) SI Local Safety Schemes and Parking Revenue Account funded schemes To consider petitions received and decide on future action TBC Cllr Jonathan Bianco - Property, Highways & Transport Corporate Resources & Infrastructure P - David Knowles Traffic Liaison Group Public SI Pedestrian Crossings To approve schemes to provide crossing facilities TBC Cllr Jonathan Bianco - Property, Highways & Transport Corporate Resources & Infrastructure P - David Knowles Public SI To approve debt / write offs To approve individual case of debt / write offs that are in excess of £5000 but under £50,000. n/a Cllr Martin Goddard - Finance Corporate Resources & Infrastructure R - Iain Watters Private (1,2,3) CABINET MEMBER DECISIONS: Standard Items (SI) that may be considered each month 3 Ref Scheduled Upcoming Decisions Further details Ward(s) Final decision by Full Council Cabinet Member(s) Responsible Relevant Select Committee Directorate / Lead Officer Consultation related to the decision NEW ITEM Public or Private (with reason) SI = Standard Item each month/regularly Council Directorate/Service Areas: AS = Adult Services & Health P = Place C = Central Services R = Resources CS= Children's Services D = Digital & Intelligence SI Transport - Local Implementation Programme Local Implementation Programme including schemes for the public realm, parking, road safety, school travel, walking, cycling, air quality improvement and Traffic Regulation Orders. TBC Cllr Jonathan Bianco - Property, Highways & Transport Corporate Resources & Infrastructure P - David Knowles Public SI Sale, and conversion, of loft space to leaseholders and also extension of Leasehold Interests of flats under the 1993 Act To consider any issues in relation to loft space and also consider an extension of the leasehold interests for several flats where the Council as freeholder has received an application under the Leasehold Reform Housing and Urban Development Act 1993. The report will recommend grant of the extensions in each case where the Notice is valid and in accordance with legislation. TBC Cllr Jonathan Bianco - Property, Highways & Transport Corporate Resources & Infrastructure P - James Raven Private (1,2,3) SI Appeals in relation to business rates (NNDR) To determine appeals in relation to business rates following a decision by the Council. TBC Cllr Martin Goddard - Finance Corporate Resources & Infrastructure R - Iain Watters Private (1,2,3) The Cabinet's Forward Plan is an official document by the London Borough of Hillingdon, UK - Published 8 August 2024 4

Corporate Resources and Infrastructure Select Committee – 17 September 2024 Part I – Public WORK PROGRAMME Committee name Corporate Resources and Infrastructure Select Committee Officer reporting Anisha Teji – Democratic Services Papers with report Appendix A – Work Programme Ward All HEADLINES To enable the Committee to note future meeting dates and to forward plan its work for the current municipal year. RECOMMENDATIONS That the Committee considers the Multi-Year Work Programme attached and agrees any amendments. SUPPORTING INFORMATION The Committee's meetings will start at 7pm and the witnesses attending each of the meetings may include representatives from external organisations, some of whom travel from outside of the Borough. Forthcoming meeting dates are as follows: Meeting Date Room 23 July 2024 CR5 17 September 2024 CR5 19 November 2024 CR5 9 January 2025 CR5 11 February 2025 CR5 4 March 2025 CR5 10 April 2025 CR5 Implications on related Council policies The role of the Select Committees is to make recommendations on service changes and improvements to the Cabinet, who are responsible for the Council’s policy and direction. How this report benefits Hillingdon residents Select Committees directly engage residents in shaping policy and recommendations and the Committees seek to improve the way the Council provides services to residents.

Multi Year Work Programme 2022 - 2026 2024/25 May November January February March April No meeting 19 9 11 4 10 Review A: Road Safety Review Topic selection / scoping stage Witness / evidence / consultation stage Findings, conclusions and recommendations Final review report agreement Target Cabinet reporting Review B: TBC Topic selection / scoping stage Witness / evidence / consultation stage Findings, conclusions and recommendations Final review report agreement Target Cabinet reporting Regular service & performance monitoring - Quarterly Performance Monitoring Finance Mid year Budget Update Highways Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Strategy - annual update Operational Assets (Repairs & Engineering, Planned Works, Disabled Facilities, Building safety & FM) Building Safety Strategy - Annual Monitoring Report X - Cabinet Member attendance X Business Intelligence Annual complaints & service update report Democratic Services Cabinet's budget proposals for next financial year X Democratic Services Cabinet Forward Plan Monthly Monitoring X X X X X One-off information / service updates Democratic Services Remit of new Select Committee Human Resources Staff skills, learning and development X Transformation (BID) Transformation work to deliver savings X Business Intelligence Update on the Member's Portal and New Member Enquiry Process X Corporate Communications Internal/external comms update Planning and Regeneration Hayes Estate Regeneration Progress X Update on Council's Fleet X Transportation Draft Hillingdon Cycling Strategy X Digital & Information (Customer Access, Business Intelligence, Digital, Technology, Information Governance) Draft Hillingdon Digital Strategy Health and Safety/ Emergency Response Emergency Response Service X Cross-cutting topics Digital & Information (Customer Access, Business Intelligence, Digital, Technology, Information Governance) Digital transition update / resident experience X Captial Programme Decarbonisation of Council Buildings Update X Capital Programme Civic Centre Works - Project Update X Utility company presentation (TBC) X Past review delivery Procurement and Commissioning Procurement Review 2023/24 X Transportation Road Safety Review 2023/24 tbc Highways Highways Resurfacing 2023/24 X Committee Site Visits Civic Centre - Capital Programme (Date TBC) Mortuary (Date TBC) Platinum Jubilee Leisure Centre (Date TBC) Internal use only Date deadline confirmed to report authors Report deadline Agenda Corporate Resources and Infrastructure Select CommitteeService Area