Complaints Procedure Details
The quickest way is to complete our online complaints form or telephone 01282 425011.
We aim to respond to all telephone messages within 1 working
day, and to all written or complex queries within no more than 15
days (5 days for queries raised by Councillors).
If we do not do this, or if you are unhappy with the way you have
been treated, you can COMPLAIN.
COMPLAINTS
We try our best to get things right, but sometimes we may
get things wrong.
Although nobody likes getting complaints, when we do and
they are valid, we try to correct the problem as soon as
possible and to learn from our mistakes.
OUR COMPLAINTS PROCEDURE
If you feel we have:
Done something badly or wrong;
Failed to do something we should have done;
Treated you unfairly or rudely;
you should contact the appropriate person from the search
area above, by telephone, letter, e-mail, fax, or by
visiting them and tell them YOU WANT TO MAKE A COMPLAINT.
You can get someone else to do this for you if you wish e.g. your
local Councillor.
We do not normally accept complaints about matters that arose
more than 12 months ago.
We do not put through the complaints procedure those matters
for which there is a right of redress through the courts or via an
appeal to another body (e.g. an appeal to the Secretary of State
against refusal of a planning application).
COMPLAINTS – FIRST STAGE
Often a matter can be put right very quickly by the Officer taking
the correct action and apologising.
If the matter cannot be put right immediately, the Officer should
give you a response within 5 working days.
If the matter is complex or requires detailed investigation, the
Officer must acknowledge your complaint within 5 working days
and tell you when you can expect a full response.
When you do get a full response, you will also get a reply paid
form asking you if you are satisfied, and explaining your right of
appeal if you are not.
If you do not get a full response within the time periods described
above, you can go straight to the APPEAL STAGE.
COMPLAINTS – APPEALS
Appeals are dealt with by one of the Council’s Directors.
This will be a different Director to the one to whom the Service
Unit being complained about reports to, in order to maintain
impartiality.
If you have not been told which Director to appeal to you can find
out by telephoning the Director’s Secretary on (01282) 425011.
The Director will arrange an independent investigation of your
complaint and will respond to you within 5 working days, or let
you know within those 5 days when a reply will be sent.
When the Director replies, they will supply a reply paid form asking
you if you are satisfied with the outcome.
You will be advised that if you are not satisfied you can pursue
your complaint with the Local Government OMBUDSMAN, and
you will be given a booklet and form to assist you in that.
OMBUDSMAN
The Local Government Ombudsman service is a national,
completely independent body.
It will deal with complaints by people who feel they have suffered
injustice because of ‘maladministration’ by Councils.
Maladministration is where there has been a fault in the way the
Council has or has not done something e.g. we took too long; we
broke promises; we treated you unfairly; or did not make a
decision in the correct way.
The Ombudsman will not normally consider complaints about
matters that arose more than 12 months ago or where there is an
alternative remedy e.g. an appeal to the Secretary of State or
proceedings in the Courts.
Normally, although not always, the Ombudsman will ask that
complaints are put through the Council’s own complaints
procedure before she will become involved.
If you wish to complain to the Ombudsman, you can get an
explanatory leaflet and form from any of the Council’s reception
desks or by ringing Ian Roper in the Customer Services Unit on
(01282) 425011 ext. 2608.
The Ombudsman for this area is Mrs. Anne Seex, and she
can be contacted on (01904) 663200.
Complaints Procedure 2005
