Your opinion matters!
At Suffolk Coastal we are committed to putting you, our
customers first. That means we are always pleased to hear what you
have to say about the services we provide.
By letting us know what you think - when we are doing a good job
and when you think we can do better, you will be helping to improve
the Council for everybody.
If you need to complain about one of our services, we will do
our best to put things right and make sure that the same thing
doesn't happen again to you or to somebody else. Whenever you
contact us with your feedback, good or bad, you can be assured we
will:
- Always listen to what you have to say.
- Treat you honestly, fairly and politely.
- Give you help and advice as quickly as we can.
- Respect your individual needs and your right to privacy.
- Keep you informed about what's happening.
- Take action, where appropriate, to improve our service to
you.
- Address and respond to all complaints within 15 working days of
their receipt.
- Let you know if our response to your complaint is going to take
longer than 15 days by sending an acknowledgement letter that
explains the situation and outlines when you should expect a full
response giving you a specific date.
- Acknowledge any compliments we receive within 3 workings
days.
How do I complain?
Step 1 - Contact us
If you believe we have done something wrong, failed in our
service delivery or have not followed the correct procedures,
please get in touch with our Customer Services Team on
01394 383789 or email
customerservices@suffolkcoastal.gov.uk. The
Customer Services Team will try to resolve your issue immediately.
If you are not happy with the outcome of this first contact you
will be asked to make an official complaint.
Step 2 - Making an official complaint
When you make an official complaint we need to know your name,
where and how we can contact you, the details of your complaint,
what you want us to do to put things right and whether you have
raised this issue with us before and who was dealing with it.
You can make a complaint using our online complaints form, via
letter or by contacting the Customer Services Team, who will be
happy to log the complaint on your behalf. We will respond to you
fully within 15 working days or inform you if further time is
needed to investigate your complaint.
You also have the right to complain to your
local
councillor, who may then contact the officer concerned on your
behalf. You will then receive a reply from the Service Team
concerned telling you what action will be taken. Your local
councillor will get a copy of the same letter.
What do I do if I am not happy with the response?
Step 3 - Contacting the Chief Executive
If you are not satisfied with the answer you receive to your
complaint, you should then move on to the third stage of the
process. This is to put your complaint in writing to the
Chief
Executive at the address below:
Chief Executive
Suffolk Coastal District Council
Melton Hill
Woodbridge
Suffolk IP12 1AU
The Chief Executive’s office will then ensure that you receive a
response within 20 working days.
What do I do if I am still not happy with the response?
If after all of the previous stages you are still not satisfied
with the response, then you should contact the Local Government
Ombudsman but you must have completed all the previous steps before
contacting them.
How do I complain to the Local Government Ombudsman?
The Local Government Ombudsman (LGO) is appointed by the
Government. You can complain to LGO at any time, but they will
usually only investigate your complaint after you have been through
our complaints procedure fully, as detailed above. The LGO
recommends that you complain as soon as possible after the event as
it is much easier to remember all the details.
For more information about complaining to the Local
Government Ombudsman visit www.lgo.org.uk, call 0845 602
1983, email
advice@lgo.org.uk or write
to:
Local Government Ombudsman
PO Box 4771
Coventry CV4 0EH
How do I make a compliment?
Suffolk Coastal welcomes all feedback and if you are
particularly pleased with a service we have provided, or with a
particular member of staff or team please let us know. The Customer
Services Team will ensure the appropriate person receives this
compliment.
If you wish to make a compliment please email
customerservices@suffolkcoastal.gov.uk,
or call the Customer Services Team on 01394
383789.
If you would like any further information about making a
complaint or compliment or would like any assistance please contact
the Customer Services Team on 01394
383789.