Complaints - Frequently Asked Questions

Below are a number of frequently asked questions about complaints.

Why do we want your complaints and compliments?

We try to promote quality services to all of our customers at all times.  However, we realise that sometimes things go wrong.  When they do, we really appreciate the feedback you give us as this gives us the opportunity to try and put things right and look at whether we need to change the way we deliver our services.

The Council treats all complaints and compliments seriously, no matter what they are about and who they are from. We want our complaints and compliments procedure to help you have your say.

What will we do to put things right?

We will always try to deal with your complaint on the spot. Where this is not possible, we will acknowledge your complaint within seven days.

We will tell you who is dealing with your complaint, give you their contact details and tell you when you can expect to receive a response.  We will send you a final response within 28 days (unless your complaint is complicated). 

If the investigation shows that we are at fault, we will consider the most appropriate way to put things right to your satisfaction.

What can I do if I am not satisfied?

You can appeal to the Chief Executive if you are not happy with the response we give you and ask for an appeal to be started.

This will mean that someone in the Policy Team will investigate how your complaint was handled to find out if it was handled correctly and whether the final response was justified. 

If your complaint is to social services you can ask for an independant review. 

You can also contact the Local Government Ombudsman at any stage of your complaint if you are unhappy with the response you receive from us.  The Ombudsman is independent of Government and aims to put things right if they go wrong.

The investigations are private and there is no charge for the service. 

A copy of the Ombudsman’s complaints form can be obtained from the Office of the Chief Executive or by contacting the Local Government Ombudsman directly.