To consider the draft updated Unreasonable Behaviour Policy.

The Chairman welcomed Richard Steele, Group Information Manager and Data Protection Officer to provide Members with an update on the Unreasonable Behaviour Policy, pages 1 to 22 of the Supplementary Agenda refer.

Members were advised that the current policy was last updated in April 2017 and that a review of the policy had been necessary as there was a clear need to manage the safety of employees and Members of the Council and to limit the unnecessary impact on Council resources.  The Group Information Manager and Data Protection Officer further advised that the policy was designed to achieve this aim whilst being proportionate and to ensure that customers were dealt with fairly and consistently.

It was explained that the draft policy had been aligned across the Partnership and was being presented to the Overview Committee for feedback prior to being presented to the Executive Board for approval.

Members were invited to put their comments and questions forward.

• A Member commented that hostility towards frontline staff had been increasing and queried whether Ward Members should be made aware of the people who were on the cautionary contact register, page 18 of the Agenda refers.

In response, the Group Information Manager and Data Protection Officer confirmed that Members would be notified of individuals that have had restrictions applied in accordance with the Unreasonable Behaviour Policy to protect them from exposure.  It was further advised that the sharing of information would occur in circumstances where it was deemed necessary and proportionate.  The Group Information Manager and Data Protection Officer explained to Members that the cautionary contact register was a separate and linked process and that comments to share information with Members from that process would be discussed with the Assistant Director – Regulatory. 

• Members provided examples of when being unaware of who was on the register could put Members’ safety at risk and noted that it was important to safeguard and protect those that were the most vulnerable.

• A Member commented that the policy would benefit from LGSCO being written in full as ‘The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman’, page 17 of the Agenda refers.

• A Member spoke in support of the Draft Unreasonable Behaviour Policy and commented that data protection regulations had provided the ability to share certain information with Councillors which ensured greater awareness.

•  A Member commented on expectations for the Unreasonable Behaviour Policy for protecting staff and referenced that the Unreasonable Behaviour Statistics were a cause for concern, page 21 of the Agenda refers.

• A Member expressed concern that unreasonable behaviour complaints had dramatically risen and queried whether the combined three Council Partnership had led to an increase in frustration for members of the public who had contacted the Council.  In response, the Chairman advised Members that statistics nationwide across all authorities had increased and that unreasonable behaviour was a national problem which was not limited to the S&ELCP as a combined authority.

The Group Information Manager and Data Protection Officer advised Members that the Unreasonable Behaviour Policy set out to identify people who were causing confrontation and that the Council provided support for vulnerable members of staff experiencing this behaviour by providing mental health advisors and offering specialist training for dealing with customer confrontation.

Further assurance was provided that the policy enabled the methods of communication to be limited to reduce the impact on staff and that the motives and vulnerabilities of individuals exhibiting unreasonable behaviour would also be considered determine the best way forward to reduce the impact on the Council.   

No further comments or questions were received.

The Chairman thanked the Group Information Manager and Data Protection Officer for his report.

Following which it was,

RESOLVED:

That the Draft Unreasonable Behaviour Policy be noted and presented to the Executive Board for approval.

N.B. The Group Information Manager and Data Protection Officer left the Meeting at 11.11 am.