Agenda item

Report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services

The Committee received a report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services informed Members on the progress against the Departmental Business Plan for Community and Children’s Services for 2013/14.

Members were informed that the departmental performance and progress was currently satisfactory to good. A majority of performance indicators were either on target or improving. Effective progress had been made in planned improvement actions across all five departmental priorities.

In response to a query from Members, Officers said that in quarter one, 100% of complaints received were responded to within the stage one response target. From April 2013 the final stage of Housing Complaints procedure had changed as complainants were no longer referred to the Local Government Ombudsman but referred instead to the Housing Ombudsman. Links to guidance on the new process have been added to the City of London website. A Children’s Social Care complaint received during quarter one had escalated to stage 2 and an independent  investigator appointed.