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Compliments, comments and complaints

Compliments or comments

If you've had a good experience with our services or want to share any comments, please use our online form.

We read all your compliments or comments but we do not usually reply. 

Send a compliment or comment

Anonymous comments

If you wish for your comments to be anonymous, please use our online form.

We read all your comments but we cannot reply. 

Send anonymous comments

Complaints

A complaint is an expression of dissatisfaction that requires a response about the standards of service, actions or lack of action, by the council or its staff, for example:

  • we have not responded to a service request or we have failed to deliver a service to you
  • the service we delivered did not meet your expectation
  • you were treated in an unprofessional manner

We do not accept anonymous complaints.

Councillor complaints

Complaints against our city and parish councillors are made to our Monitoring Officer to review. View details on how to complain.

Allegations of financial impropriety or criminal activity by the council. These are handled by our Section 151 officer, monitoring officer or Managing Director, please Contact us.

Appeals

There are separate appeal processes for the following:

Report a problem

You can report a problem to us where a more immediate response can be given. These include, but not limited to the following:

There are some things we cannot change, and they are:

  • If our actions were determined properly following our policies and procedures, for example following planning, licensing, and Council decisions.
  • If our actions are required by law or national policy.

Councillor complaints

Complaints against our city and parish councillors are made to our Monitoring Officer to review. View details on how to complain.

Allegations of financial impropriety or criminal activity by the council. These are handled by our Section 151 officer, monitoring officer or Managing Director, please Contact us.

Appeals

There are separate appeal processes for the following:

Report a problem

You can report a problem to us where a more immediate response can be given. These include, but not limited to the following:

There are some things we cannot change, and they are:

  • If our actions were determined properly following our policies and procedures, for example following planning, licensing, and Council decisions.
  • If our actions are required by law or national policy.

How to make a complaint?

If you want to make a complaint, please use our online form.

Make a complaint

If you are unable to use our online form, please visit contact us for alternative ways to complain.

We will use the information to help us review and make improvements to our processes.

There are 2 stages to our complaints process.

Your complaint will be acknowledged within 3 working days with a unique complaints reference number. Please ensure this is quoted on any correspondence you have with us in relation to your complaint.

A full investigation will take place by a responsible member of staff and we will respond within 10 working days.

If your complaint requires a lot of investigation, then we may take longer. We will contact you as soon as we have completed our investigation.

Once a response has been given this stage is complete.

Your complaint will be acknowledged within 3 working days with a unique complaints reference number. Please ensure this is quoted on any correspondence you have with us in relation to your complaint.

A full investigation will take place by a responsible member of staff and we will respond within 10 working days.

If your complaint requires a lot of investigation, then we may take longer. We will contact you as soon as we have completed our investigation.

Once a response has been given this stage is complete.

If you are not happy with the response, you have 1 month to ask us to review your complaint again. If new issues arise, then the complaint will be treated as a new stage 1 complaint. 

For your complaint to be taken to stage two your request should include:

  • your complaint reference number
  • details of why you disagree with the stage one response

We will acknowledge your request for a second investigation within 3 working days. 

A full investigation will take place by a manager and we will respond within 10 working days.

If your complaint requires a lot of investigation, then we may take longer. We will contact you as soon as we have completed our investigation.

If you are not happy with the response, you have 1 month to ask us to review your complaint again. If new issues arise, then the complaint will be treated as a new stage 1 complaint. 

For your complaint to be taken to stage two your request should include:

  • your complaint reference number
  • details of why you disagree with the stage one response

We will acknowledge your request for a second investigation within 3 working days. 

A full investigation will take place by a manager and we will respond within 10 working days.

If your complaint requires a lot of investigation, then we may take longer. We will contact you as soon as we have completed our investigation.

If you are not happy with the outcome

If you are not happy that your stage 2 complaint resolves your issues, you may contact the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman (LGO), which is an independent, impartial and free service.

You can do this by visiting their website: www.lgo.org.uk/how-to-complain

Phone: 03000 610 614