What happens next?
- Your complaint, suggestion or compliment will be properly
recorded in an electronic database
- It will promptly reach the staff who can address it
- It will automatically be escalated to senior managers in the
event of any unreasonable delay in responding
- If we have got something wrong the root cause will be
identified and wherever possible will quickly be put right.
Complaints' Procedure
The complaints' procedure has four distinct stages:
| Stage 1 |
First contact - Informal |
|
Responsibility
|
An officer dealing with the service being complained about
(supervisor/unit manager)
|
|
Action and timescales
|
Acknowledgement by email, letter or telephone within 3 working
days.
Any service failure will be put right wherever possible with the
minimum delay and fuss.
The time limit for dealing with this is 7 working days.
However, if it is clear that the matter will require more
in-depth investigation the complainant will be advised within the 7
working days that the matter will require more detailed
investigation and a response will be provided within a further 20
working days. It then moves to Stage 2.
If the complaint is ”resolved” within the 7 working day period
but the customer is not satisfied he or she may take their
complaint to Stage 2.
|
|
Stage 2
|
Informal
|
|
Responsibility
|
Service Head, from the service being complained about.
|
|
Action & Timescales
|
If the customer has taken their complaint to stage 2 they will
be informed that it will be responded to within 10 working days or
20 working days if the issue is more complex
The complaint will be investigated in a structured way and
reported back to the customer within the 10 or 20-day
period.
If the person or organisation is dissatisfied with the response
they may take their complaint to Stage 3
|
| Stage 3 |
Formal |
|
Responsibility
|
Chief Executive or nominated Director.
|
|
Action & Timescales
|
If the customer has taken their complaint to stage 3 they will
be informed that it will be responded to within 10 or 20 working
days
Formal investigation – a complaint will be investigated in a
structured way and reported back to the customer within 10 or
20-day period
If the customer or organisation is still dissatisfied then they
will be given details of how to contact the Local Government
Ombudsman
|
|
Stage 4
|
Formal - Ombudsman*
|
|
|
Local Government Ombudsman (LGO)
|
|
Action & Timescales
|
Help and Advice will be given to enable the complainant to
contact the Local Government Ombudsman (LGO)
The Ombudsman will consider the matter and may or may not decide
to intervene - see section 7 below
|
Compliments
|
|
Stage 1 only |
|
Responsibility
|
Service Head
|
|
Action & Timescales
|
Contact made with the customer within 7 working days thanking
them for their compliment
|
Suggestions
|
|
Stage 1 only,
unless failure to take on board becomes a complaint then to Stage
2
|
|
Responsibility
|
Service Head or Director
|
|
Action & Timescales
|
Acknowledgement within 3 working days and Letter within 7
working days (or 20 working days if more complex)
|
NB. Anonymous complaints will be accepted and will be
investigated. However, it is better to provide contact details so
that we can inform you of the outcome of our investigations.
*Contacting the Local Government Ombudsman
The Ombudsman can be contacted by writing, telephoning, faxing
or emailing to:
The Local Government Ombudsman
PO Box 4771
Coventry
CV4 0EH
Telephone: 0300 061 0614 or 0845 6021983
Fax: 024 7682 0001
Email: advice@lgo.org.uk (The Advice
Line)