We try to provide good services and good advice but sometimes mistakes are made and people will need to complain.

The council has a complaints procedure so that:

• Complaints are resolved as swiftly as possible;
• There is a clear route for dealing with complaints which are unresolved; and
• Lessons learned when dealing with complaints can be used to improve the council's service.

The procedure is intended to be as simple and informal as possible. You can put your complaints in writing if you like, or you can speak to one of the council's staff.

Make it clear that you are making a complaint. The complaint will then be looked into by a senior member of staff and the findings will be sent to you by one of the council's Chief Officers. This will be done within 25 working days.

We hope that you will accept the reply that you receive. If not, then a Chief Officer of another council department may investigate and in serious cases the complaint could be referred to one of the Committees or elected Councillors.

We will always try and meet the time targets set out above. However, if there are any delays, we will inform you of the reasons for the delay and the revised time targets.

STAGE 1 - Quick, informal, no need to put complaint in writing. Reply within 10 working days

STAGE 2 - Written complaint, senior officer investigates. Reply in 25 working days

STAGE 3 - Further investigation, possible report to Committee

In the event that a complaint is substantiated, we will initiate any remedial action as quickly as is practicable. In the event that the matter, the subject of the complaint, has led to financial or other loss we will give proper consideration to compensating for that loss.

All substantiated complaints will be reported to a Council Committee and a copy of the report will be available for members of the public as well as the complainant.