Compliments, complaints and comments

Find out how to make a complaint, compliment or comment.

Your feedback helps us improve our services and recognise when we get things right.

View our Compliments and Complaints Policy

Compliments and comments

Feedback helps us recognise great service, share good practice, and make improvements where needed. If you think we have done something well or have an idea about how we could do things better or differently, we would love to hear from you.

You can give a compliment or comment:

• via our online feedback form
• by telephone on 01263 513811
• in person at any of our service locations

All compliments and comments are recorded and shared with the relevant service area.

We recognise outstanding staff, learn from positive experiences, and use suggestions to improve how we deliver services.

Complaints

We aim to deliver high quality services, but we recognise that sometimes things can go wrong.

A complaint is an expression of dissatisfaction, concern, or grievance about the standard of service, actions, or lack of action by the Council, its staff, or representatives.

We take all complaints seriously and see them as opportunities to put things right and improve.

Examples of complaints:

You may wish to make a complaint if you have experienced:

• a delay in taking action without good reason
• mistakes in the way a decision has been made
• not following the Council’s policies or procedures
• bias, unfair treatment, or discrimination
• rude, unhelpful, or inappropriate behaviour by staff

Making a complaint

If you are not sure whether your concern is a complaint or a service request, please contact us. Our staff can often resolve issues quickly and informally. If you remain unhappy, you can make a formal complaint.

You can make a complaint:

• via our online complaints form
• by telephone on 01263 513811
• in person at any of our service locations.

How we handle complaints

We follow a two-stage complaints process to make sure complaints are handled quickly, fairly, and independently.

Stage 1: Initial investigation and response

1. We will acknowledge your complaint within 5 working days.
2. You will receive a full response within 10 working days of the acknowledgment.
3. If we need more time due to complexity, we will let you know and explain why.
4. Your complaint will be investigated by a Senior Officer, who is not directly involved in the issue.

If you remain unhappy with the Stage 1 response, you can request that your complaint move to Stage 2 within one month of receiving our reply.

Stage 2: Review and final response

1. We will acknowledge your Stage 2 complaint within 5 working days.
2. You will receive a full and final response within 20 working days.
3. If more time is required, we will tell you why and give you an expected time frame.
4. An Assistant Director will review your complaint for the relevant service area.

Possible outcomes

Every complaint is reviewed carefully and can be:

Upheld

The Council was at fault.

Partially upheld

The Council was partly at fault.

Not upheld

The Council acted appropriately.

If you are still not satisfied

If you have completed all stages of our complaints process and remain unhappy, you can contact the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman.

This is an independent and free service.

Contact details

Address: Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman, PO Box 4771, Coventry, CV4 0EH

Phone: 0300 061 0614

Website: www.lgo.org.uk

Opening hours: Monday to Friday, 10am to 4pm (excluding public holidays)