MAKING A COMPLAINT

Making a Complaint
There are, unfortunately occasions when we have been unable to meet agreed standards, and in recognition of this fact a complaints procedure has been prepared. In order for us to deal with complaints we need a clear indication of where we have under-performed and the following information is designed to enable you to give this information in clear and concise way.

Complaints Procedure
The Planning Service has to balance the needs of applicants, objectors and others within the context of legislation and our published policies. Complaints do occur from time to time. This is not surprising in view of the varied, and often contentious, matters with which the Service has to deal.

However, it has become clear however, that time is spent responding to customers whose criticism of the service is their discontent at the outcome of a valid and clearly documented process. These customers ultimately reduce the level of service we can offer to all other customers. For this reason the following protocol has been developed to explain the circumstances where we will and will not pursue a ‘complaint’.

The existence of this protocol does not in any way seek to take away a customer’s rights to pursue any complaint of maladministration. It does however mean that unless the Service considers a complaint to be valid in terms of the protocol, it will not be pursued.


Our Promise to You
We will acknowledge receipt of any complaint within 5 working days of receipt.

We will then investigate any valid complaint and give a substantive reply within 20 working days of receipt, or if we consider the complaint to be invalid, to inform the complainant why we consider it invalid, and that it will not be pursued, within 15 working days.

We will inform all complainants of the processes we have undertaken to reach our conclusion.

Where your complaint is upheld we will tell you what we will do to remedy what has gone wrong. In some cases this will be within our control. In some cases it will not be within our control, and we will advise you accordingly. We will also advise you of the steps which you may be able to take if you are dissatisfied with our response or the proposed remedy.


What is a valid complaint?
A valid complaint is a complaint made for one or more of the following reasons :-
The Planning Service has failed to provide the level of service promised in a customer charter, protocol, advice note, or verbally, or has failed to undertake a statutory duty.

An officer of the Service has been disrespectful or has wantonly or neglectfully given incorrect advice to a member of the public.

The procedures for dealing with a matter as published in a charter, protocol, advice note or verbal agreement have been deliberately or neglectfully disregarded by the service or have in some other way been incorrectly applied.

What is an invalid complaint?
An invalid complaint is a complaint made for one or more of the following reasons, which does not fall into one of the above categories :-

A valid decision made by the Service, which does not accord with the complainant’s own point of view.

One made because of a lack of understanding or disagreement with the processes which have taken place in order to reach that decision, (unless it can be proved that there were no clear guidelines available explaining those processes).

One which has been examined before and found to be invalid. In this category are included complaints which have been examined and dismissed at a particular level in the organisation being taken to a higher level with no change in the nature of complaint.

A complaint which is unclear, or of such a general nature that it cannot be investigated or examined.

A complaint made anonymously.

If you are making a complaint then it helps the investigation of that complaint if the person dealing with that complaint knows exactly what the issue is. In this respect you should submit your complaint on the form (click here for the form) and tick the appropriate box, giving sufficient evidence to support your complaint in the evidence box at the end of this form.