We are committed to providing high service standards to residents, visitors and businesses across the District at all times. There will be times that we do not always get this right and you may wish to raise this with us.
What to do if you are not satisfied with the service received
If you are not satisfied with the service you have received, please let us know in the first instance by contacting the relevant department or by speaking to one of our Customer Services team and we will do our best to put things right.
What to do if you wish to make a formal complaint
If you still want to make a formal complaint because your matter cannot be resolved in the first instance, then you can do so via our online complaints form, or by writing to us at the following address:
Elizabeth House
Church Street
Stratford-upon-Avon
Warwickshire
CV37 6HX
Definition
A complaint is if:
- An agreed resolution(s) following discussions in the first instance has failed or not been met; or
- You have expected us to do something and there has been an unreasonable delay (this includes failing to meet timeframes set within our policies or by law; or
- You are not happy with the way you say you were treated by a member of staff; or
- We have failed to deliver a service as required within our policy and /or service standards.
Please note that a complaint is not:
- a service request;
- a challenge to the ongoing decision-making responsibilities of a properly delegated council officer following the agreed or statutory process;
- a right of appeal against a final decision made by the council or its officers. For instance, criticism of a planning decision, or an appeal against an off-street parking fine would not be treated as a complaint; or
- a right of review where a policy or statutory process already exists..
The process
There are two stages to making a formal complaint. Most complaints are resolved at Stage 1.
Stage 1
When we have received your complaint, the relevant Service Manager or Team Leader/Supervisor will investigate it. A complaint should generally be received within six months of the basis for the complaint having arisen unless there are very exceptional reasons such as a medical reason which caused a delay in submitting the complaint.
We aim to provide a written response to you within 15 working days thereafter; however, we may need to contact you if we need more information. If we cannot respond to you within 15 working days, we will keep you updated with how long it will take.
We will then send you a decision letter or email, to advise if your complaint has been upheld, partially upheld or not upheld. This will tell you about what we have found and/or what we have done to resolve your complaint.
Definition of outcome of complaint:
Upheld – the Service Manager or Team Leader/Supervisor agrees that your complaint has merit and in doing so will agree how the matter will be settled. The council will look to settle matters in the most reasonable and proportionate way, and this will not routinely involve compensation.
Partially upheld – the Service Manager or Team Leader/Supervisor agrees that your complaint has some merit as above but will make clear aspects which have not been upheld. If you are dissatisfied with the outcome, you will be advised of the next stage in the process.
Not upheld – the Service Manager or Team Leader/Supervisor finds that your complaint does not have merit but will make clear why your complaint has not been upheld. If you are dissatisfied with the outcome, you will be advised of the next stage in the process.
Stage 2
If you do not think that your complaint has been satisfactorily resolved, or if you do not agree with the decision made at Stage 1, your complaint can be escalated to Stage 2 and will be dealt with by the relevant Head of Service.
If you wish the matter to be further reviewed at Stage 2, you must notify the council within two months of having received the Stage 1 response. If we have not heard further from you in the two months after receipt of the Stage 1 response, and there are no exceptional reasons to explain this delay, such as a medical reason, then you will be notified that the file will be closed but that you still have the option to refer the matter to the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman.
The Head of Service will then investigate your Stage 2 complaint where the criteria is met.
We aim to provide a written response to you within 20 working days by sending you a decision letter or email. This will tell you about what we have found and/or what we have done to resolve your complaint.
Stage 2 complaints can take longer to investigate; however, we will keep you updated with how long it will take.
Any decision reached at this stage will be final but you can refer your complaint to the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman.
Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman
Accordingly, if you do not agree with the outcome of our investigation into your Stage 2 complaint, you can go to the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman. They are an independent and impartial body and not part of the council.
You can complain to the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman at any time; however, it will usually be referred to us if it has not already been through our complaint procedure.
You can send your complaint to: Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman
Please also note, in some exceptional circumstances, it may be that the council will ask:
- for the Stage 2 complaint to be reviewed and a finding reached by an external investigator or auditor; or
- that Stage 1 and 2 complaints are dealt with in the same correspondence by the same Head of Service.
Examples of such exceptional circumstances will include complex and involved, novel or contentious complaints.
Please also note the council's Unreasonable Complainants Policy below: