People who contact the Press Complaints Commission receive a high standard of service, on the whole, according to findings by its charter compliance panel.

An independent audit panel was appointed last year to assess the standard of service given to complainants and to consider any complaints how their original complaint was dealt with.

The panel, which comprises Sir Brian Cubbon, Dame Ruth Runciman and Charles Wilson, examined a sample of more than 200 complaint files and was impressed by the “care and effort” shown by the PCC’s complaint officers.

But throughout the year it also made a series of recommendations – which have now been implemented – to help improve standards of service further. One of these, to consider a freephone 0800 or local rate 0845 telephone number for inquiries was put in place early on.

Other ideas included an extension of the time limit for complaints from one month to two months from the publication date, and stronger internal procedures to make sure the Commission is not responsible for undue delay to a complaint being decided.

The panel’s first annual report showed how it had found some examples of serious delay, and complaints unresolved after more than 12 weeks will now have to be explained.

PCC literature has also been changed to highlight the fact that complainants can remain anonymous.

As the newly-appointed charter commissioner Sir Brian Cubbon also considered complaints from anyone unsatisified with how their original complaint was dealt with – receiving 59 complaints in 2004, 18 of which he couldn’t consider because the PCC hadn’t made a formal ruling or he was being asked to review its decision, rather than the handling of the complaint.

During the year he was able to help and advise complainants and made a number of recommendations which the PCC agreed to put into practice.

These included revising letters and leaflets to make it clear a resolution will not be attempted for every complaint, a firmer criteria for deciding whether a correction or letter from the complainant was the best remedy for inaccuracy, and that advertorials do not come under the PCC’s remit and so should not be considered.

PCC Chairman Sir Christopher Meyer said: “I am pleased to welcome the first reports of the Charter Commissioner and Charter Compliance Panel.

“Their scrutiny of our procedures will ensure that both the public at large and those who use the PCC can have faith in the transparency and accountability of the system.

“They have also produced some valuable recommendations which will further improve our standards of service.”