DAMERHAM PARISH COUNCIL COMPLAINTS PROCEDURE

I.          Introduction

Damerham Parish 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 that 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.

2.         Context

This Complaints Procedure applies to complaints about council administration and procedures and may include complaints about how council employees have dealt with your concerns.

3.         Exclusions

This Complaints Procedure does not apply to:

3.1. 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.

3.2. complaints against individual councillors. Complaints against councillors are covered by the Code of Conduct for Members adopted by the Council and, if a complaint against a councillor is received by the Council, it will be referred to the Standards Committee of New Forest District Council. Further information on the process of dealing with complaints against councillors may be obtained from the Monitoring Officer of New Forest District Council.

4.         Influence of local electors of the parish 

4.1 The appropriate way to influence Council decision-making is to raise 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 or by specking about your concerns in the public participation section of Council meetings.

4.2 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.

5.         Complaints sent directly to the Clerk to the Council or to the Chairman  

51. You may make your complaint about the council’s procedures or administration to the Parish Council Clerk or to the Chairman of the Parish Council. You may do this in person, by phone, or by writing to or emailing either one of them. The addresses and numbers are set out below.

5.2 Wherever possible, the Clerk or the Chairman will try to resolve your complaint immediately. If this is not possible, the Clerk or the Chairman will normally try to acknowledge your complaint within five working days.

5.3 The Clerk or the Chairman of the Council will investigate each complaint, obtaining further information as necessary from you and/or from staff or from members of the Council.

5.4 The Clerk or Chairman of the Council will notify you within 20 working days of the outcome of your complaint and of what action, if any, the Council proposes to take as a result of your complaint.

5.5 If for any reason the 20 working days timescale has to be extended, you will be kept informed.

6.         Rights of Review and Appeal

If you are dissatisfied with the response to your complaint, you may ask for your complaint to be referred to the full Council and (usually within eight weeks) you will be notified in writing of the outcome of the review of your original complaint.

Parish Council Chairman, David Crane chair@damerham.net Tel: 01725 518790

Parish Clerk, Lindsey Malcom: clerk@damerham.co.uk Tel: 07493 390965

© SLCC 2012. Damerham Parish Council Complaints Procedure

Adopted as at 08.05.2017.