How we will deal with your complaint
Stage 1
We want to try to deal with your complaint informally if we can. You should contact the relevant service or use our Customer Advocates Service to do this for you. The service will try to resolve the problem straight away. They'll let you know in writing (or in another way if you prefer) if they are able to do this. You'll receive a response from them within 8 working days. If they need more time to deal with your complaint they'll still contact you within the 8 working days to let you know what's happening.
If you aren't happy with the response you can ask for investigation of your complaint under stage 2 of the procedure.
Stage 2
Your complaint will be passed to a senior manager in the service, to carry out an investigation. That person will not have had any prior involvement in dealing with your complaint.
We'll send you a letter to acknowledge that your complaint has moved to stage 2 and then send you a full response within 14 days. If more time is needed to complete the investigation of your complaint we'll still contact you within the 14 days to let you know what's happening.
If you aren't happy with the response you can ask the Chief Executive to investigate your complaint under stage 3 (the final stage) of our complaints procedure.
Stage 3
The Chief Executive will ask a senior colleague to investigate your complaint completely afresh, on her behalf. That person will not have had any prior involvement in dealing with your complaint and will not be from the service that is being complained about.
We'll send you a letter to acknowledge that your complaint has moved to stage 3 and tell you the name of the person who will be dealing with it. That person will then contact you to make sure you agree on what that investigation will be about. We'll then send you a full response within 21 days. If more time is needed to complete the investigation of your complaint we'll still contact you within the 21 days to let you know what's happening.
If you aren't happy with the response you can ask the Local Government Ombudsman to take up your complaint.