National Consumer Tribunal Annual Report 2011/12 National Consumer Tribunal 2011-12 | Page 50

Operational review
Overview
During the year under review, the National Consumer Tribunal experienced a rapid increase
in the number of cases referred to. In spite of this increase placing demands on the Tribunal’s
operational resources, the Tribunal was able to meet the majority of its targets as set down by the
strategic goals and objectives of its business plan.
The Tribunal achieved this through reviewing its adjudication processes in order to implement
improved efficiencies on the one hand, and by increasing demands on Tribunal members on the
other. Tribunal members previously dealt with one consent order every three days; they are now
required to handle eight cases over the same period. Tribunal members are able to handle the
increased workload with improved efficiencies on the part of the Case Management Unit in the
form of streamlined analyses and restructuring of case files. Consent order matters were also
adjudicated in chambers rather than a hearing being held into each matter.
As part of our planning for the future, the Tribunal commissioned a research report by a senior
economist in order to have an understanding of the basic forecasts of demand for Tribunal
services. The purpose of the research report was to estimate the demand for the services of the
Tribunal in the future, particularly as the Consumer Protection Act (CPA) is brought into effect.
In the initial research, the researchers found that the data analysed clearly points to output in
the initial and early rapid growth phases of an S-shaped product lifecycle curve. In addition, the
data shows no evidence of maturity phase output levels having been reached. The researchers
acknowledge that the rate of growth of the applications for consent orders, accounting for more
than 90% of total applications reaching the Tribunal during the most recent period, could grow
more rapidly than has been modelled. The future duration of the phase of rapid output expansion
of the Tribunal prior to the maturity phase, and the impact that the full application of the CPA
will have on the workload expansion of the Tribunal, was regarded by the modellers as beyond
their knowledge. This work will be fine-turned in further research commissioned during the
2011/2012 financial year, to be factored into our future planning. This proposed future research,
taken together with other initiatives, will enable the Tribunal to plan more effectively as the new
legislation is implemented, so that we can ensure that adequate resources are allocated to meet
the anticipated demand.
From an operational perspective, highlights of the year included the finalisation of the Service
Charter, the introduction of the Fraud Hotline, and the filling of 72% of posts at year-end
(31 March 2011).

We are also pleased to report that the Tribunal achieved an unqualified audit opinion for the year
2010/2011, thus continuing its unbroken chain of such opinions since its inception in 2008.
Annual Report 2011
page 48 | national consumer tribunal