The Member Responsible for Complaints

Elected Members have an important role and play a key part in the overall accountability and governance of complaints data and trends.  We consider their role to be:

• Ensuring complaints data and trends are analysed and routinely considered as part of data about the council’s wider performance.
• Provide challenge and hold senior leaders to account for the council’s performance in complaint handling and management.
• Provide strategic leadership to drive a culture of openness where complaints are welcomed and valued.

Councils should ensure that all elected Members are aware of complaints processes as part of their induction and training processes. This will help elected Members to support local people when they have cause for complaint, ensuring their concerns are dealt with under the most appropriate process. Providing elected Members with information about complaints in their areas will also help them scrutinise local services and identify areas for learning and improvement.  

Scrutiny mechanisms are not usually appropriate forums for considering individual complaints. However, part of the role of elected Members is to ensure that the public can access the complaints process and have their voice heard.

Our good practice guide for Members Responsible for Complaints sets out best practice for setting up and managing suitable scrutiny arrangements.