Expect prompt action when our performance is below standard, balanced by the resources we have available Our staff and those delivering services on behalf of the Council will be: Efficient and sensitive to the needs of customers Accessible and clearly identified with name badges Aware of the day to day concerns of our customers gained through ongoing analysis of compliments, comments and complaints Our procedure will: Be easy to access and widely advertised Advise customers of the standard of service they should expect, a time limit for replying to their contact and their right of appeal in the case of a complaint Ensure we monitor contacts and learn from outcomes Ensure we meet our standards HOW WE HANDLE A COMPLAINT We define a complaint in the following way: of dissatisfaction about any of our services requiring a ”Any expression response” We accept complaints from residents, local businesses, visitors to the county, suppliers of services, community groups and other groups or individuals that use or are affected by our services. We also accept complaints from people acting on behalf of someone else such as Councillors, Members of Parliament and other representatives. If customers are dissatisfied with a particular service, they are encouraged to contact us through our complaints process. We operate a two stage complaints process, which gives the complainant the right to have their complaint reviewed at more senior levels should they be dissatisfied with the outcome of the initial response. Stage one: A service review with Head of Service responsibility and sign off. Stage two: A Director review, with the scope to direct a full investigation if necessary. If a customer is still dissatisfied having progressed through both stages of the process, they will be informed of their rights to refer the complaint to the Local Government Ombudsman or the Council can refer the complaint to the Ombudsman directly.
Expect prompt action when our performance is below standard, balanced by the resources we have available Our staff and those delivering services on behalf of the Council will be: Efficient and sensitive to the needs of customers Accessible and clearly identified with name badges Aware of the day to day concerns of our customers gained through ongoing analysis of compliments, comments and complaints Our procedure will: Be easy to access and widely advertised Advise customers of the standard of service they should expect, a time limit for replying to their contact and their right of appeal in the case of a complaint Ensure we monitor contacts and learn from outcomes Ensure we meet our standards HOW WE HANDLE A COMPLAINT We define a complaint in the following way: ”Any expression of dissatisfaction about any of our services requiring a response” We accept complaints from residents, local businesses, visitors to the county, suppliers of services, community groups and other groups or individuals that use or are affected by our services. We also accept complaints from people acting on behalf of someone else such as Councillors, Members of Parliament and other representatives. If customers are dissatisfied with a particular service, they are encouraged to contact us through our complaints process. We operate a two stage complaints process, which gives the complainant the right to have their complaint reviewed at more senior levels should they be dissatisfied with the outcome of the initial response. Stage one: A service review with Head of Service responsibility and sign off. Stage two: A Director review, with the scope to direct a full investigation if necessary. If a customer is still dissatisfied having progressed through both stages of the process, they will be informed of their rights to refer the complaint to the Local Government Ombudsman or the Council can refer the complaint to the Ombudsman directly.