About complaints

A complaint can be many things. For example, you could be dissatisfied with:

• the standard of service you have received from us
• our response to a request for service
• our actions
• the behaviour of a member of staff
• harassment, bias or unfair discrimination, for example, this could include anti-Semitism.

We do not mean

• an initial request for a service, such as reporting a faulty streetlight or a pothole. We must have had the chance to provide the service or put something right, which we can only do if we have received a request or been told about a problem
• a complaint where the complainant or the council has started legal proceedings or has taken court action, but not cases where a complainant has simply threatened to start legal proceedings against the council
• a complaint that is to be dealt with or has already been dealt with by a court, tribunal or other statutory body
• a staff complaint about a personnel matter, including appointments, dismissals, pay, pensions and discipline (but not from staff as service users)
• a complaint about council policy. These matters are primarily for the council’s Cabinet or Cabinet Portfolio Holder as a matter of democratic responsibility
• a complaint about the issue of a penalty charge notice by the parking control service (except administrative issues) and the recovery process 
• complaints about schools should be made to the school concerned and dealt with under the individual school's complaints policy.
• a complaint about the conduct of a councillor is the responsibility of the Standards Committee of the county council. The complaint could be reported initially to the Monitoring Officer for advice on how to address the issue.
• a claim for compensation for highway defects where there is a remedy in law.
• an allegation of criminal or unlawful conduct, fraud or corruption should be made to the Monitoring Officer or Chief Finance Officer.
• a complaint about the Local Government Pension Scheme
• complaints by school staff or governors about the local education authority should be raised through the appropriate internal channels.

If we cannot review a complaint under this policy, we will explain to you why we cannot do so and inform you of an alternative means of appeal, if appropriate.

Comments

A comment is any feedback sent to the council following contact with a council department or service. This could include a suggestion for service improvement or information regarding how well a service was performed.

Compliments

A compliment is an expression of praise to the council or any council staff member.

It could include an occasion where assistance given by a staff member was above and beyond the standard expected or a service provided exceeded expectations.

Once we receive a compliment, the council records it on a central system so that it can be shared with the relevant manager and member of staff.

Compliments are also shared with our Senior Leadership team so that we can ensure there is recognition and share best practice.

The policy includes the collation of comments and compliments about services, which form part of the reporting alongside statutory complaints.