The document summarizes complaint volumes and activities of the Public Sector Complaints Network. It reports that 11,407 complaints were received in 2011, with 11,548 total decisions made. It discusses upcoming focuses on themes like homelessness, out of school services, bankruptcy and council tax debts, and school admissions. It also outlines the complaints process used and aspects of handling complaints in the assessment phase, including premature complaints, provisional views, thresholds, and timescales.

1. PUBLIC SECTOR COMPLAINTS NETWORK 25 JANUARY 2012 Nigel Ellis - Deputy Ombudsman David Connolly– Assistant Ombudsman The Commission for Local Administration in England

2. CONTACT VOLUMES 01/01/11 TO 31/12/11

3. COMPLAINTS RECEIVED 2011 – TOTAL 11407 DECISIONS IN 2011 – TOTAL 11548

4. ASC COMPLAINTS RECEIVED 2011

5. COMPLAINTS ABOUT SOCIAL HOUSING > The Localism Act 2011 > Ombudsmen > Regulator

6. PUBLISHING DECISION STATEMENTS > Formal reports > “Local settlements” > All decisions?

7. GETTING READY TO PUBLISH > Training > Structure of decision statements > Developing a standard for decisions

8. FOCUSING ON PARTICULAR THEMES > Homelessness and “gatekeeping” > Out of school – out of mind? (s 19 Education Act) > Use of bankruptcy for council tax debts > School admissions Homelessness: How councils can ensure justice for homeless people Focus Report: learning the lessons from complaints www.lgo.org.uk

9. IN THE PIPELINE … > Safeguarding vulnerable adults > Planning: pre-application advice > Compacts > Adult social care: self funders > Housing repairs > Parking Focus Report: learning the lessons from complaints www.lgo.org.uk

10. LGO COMPLAINTS PROCESS Intake Phase: Assessment Phase: Investigation Phase:

11. ASSESSMENT PHASE

12. HANDLING COMPLAINTS IN THE ASSESSMENT PHASE > Premature complaints > Provisional view/”appeals” > Threshold for injustice > Timescales

13. OTHER ASPECTS OF THE LGO SERVICE > Investigation > Training for councils > Public value > Joint work > Statistics