Complaints Procedure
Complaints Procedure For Wainfleet St Mary Parish Council
April 2021 - Reviewed January 2023
Next Review Date: January 2025
Wainfleet St Mary Parish Council
Complaints Procedure
Definition of a complaint:
“Any expression of dissatisfaction or concern about the Council’s policies or procedures, the way in which a service is provided, the standard of that service or a lack of action on the part of the Council or its employees”
This may include where a service:
• Has not met a required service standard
• Has been unreasonably delayed
• Has not been provided
• Has been withdrawn
Not a complaint
We will accept all types of feedback; however the complaints procedure is not intended to cover:
• Requests for a service
• Requests for information or an explanation of Council policy of practice
• Complaints about formal decisions taken by a Committee
• Complaints about Councillors
• Complaints made more than 12 months after the events complained about unless there are exceptional circumstances as to why the complaint could not have been brought about within this time
It is not the remit of the Council to deal with complaints pertaining to individual Councillors and any complaint taking issue with a member’s possible breach of the Council’s Code of Conduct must be asked to direct their concerns to the Monitoring Office of the relevant local district Council.
Before the meeting
1. The complainant should be asked to put the complaint about the Council’s procedures or administration in writing to the Clerk or other nominated officer.
2. If the complainant does not wish to put the complaint into the Clerk or other nominated officer, he or she should be advised to address it to the Chairman of the Council.
3. The Clerk or other nominated officer shall acknowledge receipt of the complaint and advise the complainant when the matter will be considered by the Council. The complainant should also be advised whether the complaint will be treated as confidential or whether, for example, notice of it will be given in the usual way.
4. The complainant shall be invited to attend a meeting and to bring a representative with them if they wish.
5. Seven clear working days prior to the meeting, the complainant shall provide the Council with copies of any documentation or other evidence relied on. The Council shall provide the complainant with copies of any documentation upon which they wish to rely at the meeting
and shall do so promptly, allowing the complainant the opportunity to read the material in good time for the meeting.
At the meeting
6. The Council shall consider whether the circumstances of the meeting warrant the exclusion of the public and the press. Any decision on a complaint shall be announced at the Council meeting in public.
7. The Chairman should introduce everyone and explain the procedure.
8. The complainant (or representative) should outline the grounds for complaint and, thereafter, questions may be asked by (i) the Clerk or other nominated officer and then (ii), members.
9. The Clerk or other nominated officer will have the opportunity to explain the Council’s position and questions may be asked by (i) the complainant and (ii) members.
10. The Clerk or other nominated officer and then the complainant should be offered the opportunity to summarise their position.
11. The clerk or other nominated officer and the complainant should be asked to leave the room while members decide whether or not the grounds for complaint have been made. If a point of clarification is necessary, both parties shall be invited back.
12. The clerk or other nominated officer and the complainant should be given the opportunity to wait for the decision but if the decision is unlikely to be finalised on that day they should be advised when the decision is likely to be made and when it is likely to be communicated to them.
After the meeting
13. The decision should be confirmed in writing to the complainant within seven working days, together with details of any further action to be taken.
Adopted by Wainfleet St Mary Parish Council
Signed .................................................................. Chairman
Signed .................................................................. Clerk
Date .....................................................................