Comments and complaints
We want to provide our customers with the best possible service. To help us improve and enhance our services we would like you to share your views and experiences with us.
Let us know
We would love for you to let us know about something we have done well or if you have a suggestion for us. You can also give us a call or let us know in person at one of our offices.
Make a commentIf you decide to come into our offices to make a complaint in person, we will accept this and pass it to the relevant service area. We will not ask you to put it in writing.
We also want to make it as easy as possible for you to let us know when things have gone right or wrong. Contact us if you need this information in a different format, for example in a different language, large print or braille.
If things do go wrong
If something does go wrong we need you to tell us about it when it happens. We learn from our mistakes and want to put things right quickly. So when you tell us what went wrong we’ll ask you to tell us how we can put things right too.
Making a complaint
In order to ensure our complaints process is accessible to all and compliant with the Equalities Act 2010, a complaint can be raised in anyway and with any member of staff, however, we would encourage using the following channels:
- letting us know by clicking the 'Make a Comment' button on the website Comments and complaints - Cotswold District Council;
- Contact us - Cotswold District Council;
- Email:customer.feedback@cotswold.gov.uk
- visiting us in person at our Council Offices;
- contacting your local Councillor;
- writing to us at: Cotswold District Council main offices, Trinity Road, Cirencester, Gloucestershire, GL7 1PX
Exemptions from this complaints process
There are certain matters that cannot be considered under the complaints policy, this includes:
- where you have, or had, a right to appeal or take legal action. This may include a tribunal (such as a Housing Benefits Appeal), Housing Benefit and Council Tax Support or planning appeals
- where the complainant is challenging a planning judgement or decision not to take enforcement action
- where the complaint is challenging a licensing or other quasi-judicial decision, where legal rights of challenge exist e.g. via appeal to the magistrates' court
- it is a personnel matter (such as your employment or disciplinary issues)
- complaints regarding the handling of Freedom of Information requests
- complaints regarding Data Protection
- complaints about the conduct of elected members
- a service failure or request for service, for example, a missed bin
- you have left it more than 12 months since knowing about the problem
Complaints process
Acknowledgement
Within five working days of receipt of a complaint, we will acknowledge and log your complaint and advise you whether or not it falls within the scope of the complaints process (please see Exemptions). Where it is accepted as a valid complaint it will then move onto a Stage 1 Response.
If we decide not to accept a complaint, an explanation will be provided to you, setting out the reasons why the matter is not suitable for the complaints process, and your right to take that decision to the relevant Ombudsman. Each complaint will be considered on its own merits.
Stage 1 Response
A review of your complaint will be undertaken by an Operational Manager within the Service Area to which your complaint relates. A response will be provided within 10-working days from the date that we advised that the complaint was valid, however, consideration will also be given to individuals' vulnerability and risk as to whether a complaint needs to be resolved more quickly, where possible.
We will decide whether an extension to this timescale is needed when considering the complexity of the complaint and then inform the complainant of the expected timescale for a response. Any extension will be no more than 10-working days without a valid reason, and the reason(s) will be clearly explained to the complainant.
Stage 2 Review
If after receiving a stage 1 response you remain dissatisfied, you can escalate your complaint to stage 2 of our process.
Requests to escalate your complaint should ideally be made in writing by emailing customer.feedback@Cotswold.gov.uk, however, your complaint can be escalated in any of the following ways:
- letting us know by clicking the 'Make a comment' button on the website
- getting in contact with us
- visiting us in person and speak to any member of the team
- Contacting your local Councillor
- writing to us at: Cotswold District Council main offices, Trinity Road, Cirencester, Gloucestershire, GL7 1PX
To escalate your complaint to Stage 2, this must be completed within 14 days of the date of receipt of your stage 1 response.
Requests for stage 2 will be acknowledged and logged within five working days of the escalation request being received. Upon receipt of a stage 2 request, an investigation into the complaint will be undertaken by the Complaint Officer or a member of the Complaints Team who will be independent of the service area to which your complaint relates and is a different officer who responded at stage 1.
A response will be provided within 20 working days from receipt of your request to escalate your complaint to stage 2. If for any reason we are unable to provide a response within 20 working days we will advise you of this in writing, the reason(s) for the extension and will inform you of the expected timescale for the response. This will also provide you with the contact details for the Ombudsman
Local Government Ombudsman
Once you have exhausted the complaints process, if you remain dissatisfied, you can refer your complaint to the Local Government Ombudsman.
For further details you can view the Councils Complaint Policy here.
How to make a complaint about a Housing Property the Council own
The Complaint Handling Code sets out that we as a landlord must have a 2-stage complaints process.
We must acknowledge a complaint at stage 1 of its process within 5 working days and supply a written response within 10 working days from the date of acknowledgment.
If you are still dissatisfied after you receive a stage 1 response, you can request to progress your complaint to the final stage (stage 2). We will acknowledge a stage 2 complaint within 5 working days and supply a written response within 20 working days.
In some cases, we can extend the timescale to provide a response by 10 working days at stage 1 and 20 working days at stage 2, however, we must let you know and explain the reason for extending the timescale for providing a response.
You can bring a complaint to the Housing Ombudsman Service for investigation if you have completed your landlord’s complaint process and the issues have not been resolved.
The Housing Ombudsman Service can also help if we have not responded to a complaint you have made.
More information can be found at https://www.housing-ombudsman.org.uk/
Annual Complaints Performance And Service Improvement Report - pdf - 124 Kb
Our Complaints Policy
For further details you can view the Councils Complaint Policy below: