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Appendix 1

Perth and Kinross Council · 30 November 2022
Back to Scrutiny and Performance Committee — 30 November 2022 and its agenda

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Page 1

Appendix 1 
SPSO Performance Indicators 
In these indicators, the term “closed” refers to a complaint to which a customer has
had a response, or which they have chosen to withdraw. It should also be noted that
the number of complaints recorded in a year is greater than the number of those
complaints actually processed, i.e. completed, within the year.
Indicator 1 – The total number of complaints received per 1000 of the
population 
This indicator records the total number of complaints received by the Council. The
mid-year estimate of the Council’s population was 151,950. 
Year Total number of
complaints received
Total number of
complaints closed
Number of
complaints received
per 1000 population
2021-22 1784 1676 11.7
2020-21 1328 1283 8.8 
Indicator 2 – Complaints closed at Stage 1 and Stage 2 as a percentage of all
complaints closed 
Year  Closed at Stage 1  Closed at Stage 2  Closed after
escalation 
2021-22  1523 (91%)  55 (3%)  98 (6%) 
2020-21  1207 (94%)  33 (3%)  43 (3%) 
Indicator 3 – The number of complaints upheld, partially upheld, or not upheld 
Stage 1 complaints are more likely to have only one complaint point, whereas Stage
2 complaints typically have multiple complaint points. The SPSO’s guidance
indicates that single complaint points can’t be “partially upheld”; a definite conclusion
of “upheld” or “not upheld” must be reached for each one. Complaints can be
classified as “partially upheld” if they contain multiple complaint points for which
different conclusions are reached. A new outcome of “resolved” was introduced in
this reporting year, meaning that this is the first year that this outcome is reportable.

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Complaints closed at Stage 1 
Year
Number of
complaints
closed
Upheld Not
upheld
Partially
upheld
Resolved
2021-22 1523 358 (24%) 448 (30%) 75 (4.9%) 642 (42%)
2020-21 1207 310 (26%) 628 (52%) 269 (22%) N/A 
Complaints closed at Stage 2 
Year Number of
complaints
closed
Upheld Not
upheld
Partially
upheld
Resolved
2021-22 55 6 (11%) 26 (47%) 23 (42%) 0
2020-21 33 3 (9%) 22 (67%) 8 (24%) N/A 
Escalated complaints closed 
Year Number of
complaints
closed
Upheld Not
upheld
Partially
upheld
2021-22 98 5 (5%) 53 (54%) 40 (41%)
2020-21 43 9 (21%) 18 (42%) 16 (37%) 
Indicator 4 – The average time, in working days, for a full response to be
issued to complaints at each stage 
SPSO procedures specify that Stage 1 complaints should be resolved within 5
working days and Stage 2 complaints should be resolved within 20 working days. 
Year Average time
Stage 1 complaints
(working days)
Average time
Stage 2 complaints
(working days)
Average time
escalated
complaints
(working days) 
2021-22 5 days 30.7 days 26.3 days
2020-21 6.7 days 28.9 days 28 days

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Indicator 5 – The percentage of complaints, at each stage, which were closed
in full within the set timescales 
This indicator presents the number and percentage of complaints closed within 5
working days at Stage 1 and 20 working days at Stage 2. 
Year Stage 1 complaints
closed within 5
working days
Stage 2 complaints
closed within 20
working days
Escalated
complaints closed
within 20 working
days 
2021-22  71.4% 36.4% 23.5%
2020-21 71.3% 42.4% 51.2% 
Indicator 6 – The percentage of complaints, at each stage, where an extension
to the 5 or 20 working days response timescales has been authorised 
The Council’s CHP allows for an extension to the timescales for response to be
authorised in certain circumstances e.g. when a key member of staff is absent from
work or during school holidays. 
Year % of Stage 1
complaints closed
where an
extension was
authorised
% of Stage 2
complaints closed
where an
extension was
authorised
% of escalated
complaints closed
where an
extension was
authorised
2021-22 28.6% 63.6 40.8%
2020-21 26.8% 38.2% 32.6%