SLCC reports strong performance despite COVID-19

The impact of COVID-19 on the work of the Scottish Legal Complaints Commission (SLCC) is revealed in its annual report for 2019-20.

Complaint numbers dropped in the last months of the SLCC's year, which coincided with the first lockdown, leading to a total for the year of 1,036, down from 1,326 in 2018-19 and 1,227 and 1,155 in the two preceding years.

In his foreword, chief executive Neil Stevenson states that "even without that assistance we had exceeded the targets we had set internally for year end", and with savings against planned expenditure, "We now need to consider how all these factors may assist with budgeting and planning for next year."

Complaints closed at all stages fell from 1,549 to 1,402, and the number open at the year end was down from 685 to 436. The year also marked the end of the SLCC's four year strategy, over which, it reports, the average "journey time" for complaints has halved, as has the number of complaints in process through the elimination of "some of the backlogs we had at the start of our process". Due to a digital strategy already in place, the SLCC was able to keep working during lockdown.

Of complaints received, 1,013 concerned solicitors' firms and 23 advocates, of which 553 and 14 respectively (or 52%, similar to the previous year) were accepted for investigation. The mediation stage saw 45 complaints closed (down from 80 in 2018-19, but a 67% success rate), the investigation stage 247 (up from 227) and the determination stage 198 (up from 138). At that final stage, 14 were upheld in full, 75 in part and 112 not upheld.

The SLCC's accounts for the year, also published, show net operating income of £284,000, compared with £5,000 the previous year, and an increase in reserves from £393,000 to £659,000. The average number of staff employed was 59, down from 61 the previous year.

Mr Stevenson commented: "We started this year in a strong position, and I’m proud to say that our staff and board continued to work hard to drive improvements in our efficiency and productivity, which we know has a real impact on complaint parties. While COVID-19 has had a significant impact on our ways of working, we were able to respond swiftly to ensure we could deliver all of our functions and statutory duties remotely, and to meet the needs and expectations of those seeking redress and resolution.

"We swiftly issued guidance on how we could adjust our process to take account of office lockdown and furlough issues, and we deferred 50% of our general levy by six months. Our building focus on process and digital improvement, which will continue under our new strategy, has positioned us well to be able to respond to today’s challenging circumstances."

Jim Martin, SLCC chair, added: "The SLCC’s role is to deliver the swift and effective resolution both lawyers and legal services users alike look for when issues arise. I’d like to thank staff and my colleagues on the board for continuing to focus on this, even in the most challenging of circumstances. This year closed with significant uncertainty and our agility in responding to it will continue to be tested. I am confident that the organisation will continue to rise to the challenge, while advocating for the reforms needed to create more fundamental improvements in the complaints, and wider regulatory system."

Click here to view the annual report, and here to view the accounts.