How to make a complaint
Although we aim to provide the highest standards of service, we know that problems do sometimes occur. Very often we can sort them out on the spot. If you are unhappy about something that has happened to you, your relative or friend, please let us know.
Remember, we can’t do anything about a problem if we are not aware of it. When things go wrong we want to know. We will use your feedback to put things right for the future.
If you feel the issue you have raised has not been dealt with properly, you may have the right to make a formal complaint.
Please make your complaint as soon as possible, while all the events are fresh in everyone’s minds. This will help us to help you by dealing with the complaint as quickly as possible.
What is a complaint?
What is not a complaint?
How do I make a formal complaint?
Who do I complain to?
Who can complain?
What will happen if I make a complaint?
What if I am not happy with the reply?
How do I refer my complaint to the Local Government Ombudsman?
What is a complaint?
If the answer to any of the following questions is YES, you probably have a complaint to make against the council:
• Have we failed to follow an agreed council procedure or policy?
• Have we failed to deliver a service to an agreed standard?
• Do you think that we didn’t take account of relevant matters in coming to a decision?
• Do you feel we’ve been neglectful towards you or delayed matters unnecessarily?
• Has one of our staff dealt with you badly?
• Do you feel you’ve been a victim of malice, bias or discrimination in your dealings with us?
If the answer to any of the above questions is YES and you wish to make a formal complaint, please see the section entitled How do I make a formal complaint?
What is not a complaint?
A criticism of, or disagreement with, council policies or decisions.
Complaints against individual employees which arise from dissatisfaction with a council policy or decision, and where no other basis for the complaint exists.
Planning, development control, the awarding of housing benefit or council tax benefits or homelessness matters where a right of appeal exists, unless the complaint relates specifically to the way the matter has been administered.
A matter which is, or could be reasonably be expected to be, the subject of court or tribunal proceedings, or which is in hands of the council's insurers.
Complaints which constitute a refusal to accept a rule of law which the council is applying.
If the problem you want to tell us about does not fall into the category of a complaint, we would still like to hear your comments. Any member of staff will be happy to discuss your comments or suggestions with you.
How do I make a formal complaint?
Complaints can be made in person, by telephone, by email or in writing.
You can also use our online Talk Back form
If you prefer to talk to someone in person, a meeting can be arranged and a friend, relative or other representative can come with you if you wish.
When making your complaint, we will be able to deal with it more speedily if you provide:
• Your full name and address
• The full name and address of the person if you are complaining on behalf of someone
• How you wish to be contacted about your complaint (by telephone, email or in writing)
• The names of any staff who have dealt with the situation
• As much detail about the situation as possible
You can make a complaint anonymously but we will be unable to contact you with details on our progress or the results of our investigations.
All information about you or anyone involved in the complaint will be dealt with in accordance with the Data Protection Act.
Who do I complain to?
All our complaints are processed by our Customer Services team and a full list of contact details can be found on the back of this leaflet. Our Customer Services team will then direct your complaint to a manager in the appropriate service.
Alternatively at any time you can contact your local councillor, who will be happy to take up any complaint with the relevant service. Councillor’s names, addresses and telephone numbers are available at www.lancaster.gov.uk/councillors or you can ask any of our Customer Services staff for your councillor’s contact details.
Your local Citizen’s Advice Bureau (CAB) can also give you help and advice about making a complaint. The CAB is an independent organisation.
Who can complain?
Anyone can complain. However, if you make a complaint for someone else, like a friend or relative, we may need to ask their permission before we can give you certain information. This is to protect their privacy and confidentiality.
What will happen if I make a complaint?
We will contact you by your preferred method within five working days of receipt to let you know we have received your complaint.
Your initial complaint will be investigated by an officer within the appropriate department. We call this a stage one complaint.
We will aim to give you a full reply to your stage one complaint within ten working days. If this is going to take longer we will keep you up to date on our progress.
What if I am not happy with the reply?
Lancaster City Council has a two stage complaints process.
These stages are:
• Stage one – the initial complaint about a problem
• Stage two – if the issue has not been resolved at stage one
If you are unhappy with the reply to your initial stage one complaint, you have the right to ask for the complaint investigated further by someone outside the immediate department. We call this a stage two complaint.
You can make a stage two complaint by contacting Customer Services. Our contact details are at the bottom of this page.
Please make us aware that you are making a stage two complaint.
Finally, if the issue has still not been resolved at stage two, you can refer your complaint to the Local Government Ombudsman.
How do I refer my complaint to the Local Government Ombudsman?
You can contact the ombudsman at any stage, but they will want to be sure that you have gone through the full complaints process first.
With Lancaster City Council, the full complaints process involves having your complaint investigated at stage one and then stage two.
The ombudsman for the Lancaster district can be contacted via the Local Government Ombudsman website www.lgo.org.uk or by the contact details below.
The Local Government Ombudsman
PO Box 4771
Coventry CV4 0EH
Email: advice@lgo.org.uk
Telephone: 0300 061 0614 or 0845 602 1983
Fax: 024 7682 0001
Text: You can also text 'call back' to 0762 480 3014.
The ombudsman publishes annual reviews (previously called annual letters) for all councils. The reviews to the Lancaster district can be viewed in the right-hand downloads menu.