Complaints policy (August 2017)

HELMDON PARISH COUNCIL
COMPLAINTS PROCEDURE
1. This is the complaints procedure of Helmdon Parish Council, hereinafter referred to as
“the council”.
2. The council is committed to providing a quality service for the benefit of the people who live or work in its area or are visitors to the locality. If you are dissatisfied with the standard of service you have received from this council, or are unhappy about an action or lack of action by this council, this complaints procedure sets out how you may complain to the council and how we shall try to resolve your complaint.
3. This complaints procedure applies to complaints about council administration and procedures and may include complaints about how council employees have dealt with your concerns.
4. This complaints procedure does not apply to:
4.1. Complaints by one council employee against another council employee, or between a council employee and the council as employer. These matters are dealt with under the council’s disciplinary and grievance procedures.
4.2. Complaints against councillors. Complaints against councillors are covered by the
Code of Conduct for Members and, if a complaint against a councillor is received by the council, it will be referred to the Standards Committee of South
Northamptonshire Council. Further information on the process of dealing with complaints against councillors may be obtained from the Monitoring Officer of South
Northamptonshire Council.
5. The appropriate time for influencing council decision-making is by raising your concerns before the council debates and votes on a matter. You may do this by writing to the council in advance of the meeting at which the item is to be discussed. There may also be the opportunity to raise your concerns in the public participation section of council meetings. If you are unhappy with a council decision, you may raise your concerns with the council, but Standing Orders prevent the council from re-opening issues for six months from the date of the decision, unless there are exceptional grounds to consider this necessary and the special process set out in the Standing Orders is followed.
6. You may make your complaint about the council’s procedures or administration to the clerk to the council. You must do this in writing to the clerk (e-mail is preferred). The addresses and other contact details are set out below.
7. You should indicate in your complaint if you wish your complaint to be treated confidentially.
8. Wherever possible, the clerk will try to resolve your complaint immediately. If this is not possible, the clerk will normally try to acknowledge your complaint within five working days.
9. If you do not wish to report your complaint to the clerk, you may make your complaint directly to the chairman of the council who will report your complaint to the Complaints
Committee or to the council (as appropriate).

HELMDON PARISH COUNCIL
COMPLAINTS PROCEDURE
10. The clerk or the relevant committee of the council or the council (as appropriate) will investigate each complaint, obtaining further information as necessary from you and/or from staff or members of the council. You may be invited to a meeting to make verbal representations and may bring someone with you when doing so.
11. The clerk or the chairman of the council will notify you within 20 working days of the outcome of your complaint and what action (if any) the council proposes to take as a result of your complaint. (In exceptional cases the twenty working days timescale may have to be extended. If it is, you will be kept informed).
12. If you are dissatisfied with the response to your complaint, you may ask for your complaint to be referred to the relevant committee of the council or to the full council (as appropriate) and (usually within eight weeks) you will be notified in writing of the outcome of the review of your original complaint.
13. If you remain dissatisfied with the response to your complaint you may seek judicial review through the High Court (see https://www.judiciary.gov.uk/you-and-the-
judiciary/judicial-review/ for details). The jurisdiction of the Local Government
Ombudsman (LGO) does not extend to parish councils at this time.
Contact details for complaints handling:
Clerk’s name: Helen du Bois
Clerk’s telephone number: [phone number removed]
Clerk’s e-mail address: parishcouncil@helmdon.com
Chairman’s name: John Coatsworth
Chairman’s telephone number: [phone number removed]
Chairman’s e-mail address: [email address removed]
Council’s correspondence address: [address removed]
Signed: ___________________________ (Chairman)
Date: 26th July 2017
Date of next review: July 2018