Complaints Process : South Lakeland DC

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South Lakeland District Council

Tel: 0845 050 4434
info@southlakeland.gov.uk
South Lakeland House
Lowther Street
Kendal
Cumbria LA9 4DQ

Ulverston Local Link

Tel: 0845 050 4434
info@southlakeland.gov.uk
Town Hall
Ulverston
Cumbria
LA12 7AR

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Complaints Process

The Council uses the Local Government Ombudsman’s definition of a complaint:

“…an expression of dissatisfaction with the standard of service provided by the Council, or with something the Council or a member of its workforce may or may not have done…whether considered justified or not”.

We like to encourage complaints, compliments and comments, as they help us to learn and improve our services.

SLDC has a four stage process for handling complaints:

At stage 1 (informal stage) this is what we call requests for service. An example of this would be when you contact us to say that your bin has not been collected at the right time. We will offer an explanation and let you know what we will do to put the situation right.

If you are not happy with the explanation and or the action we suggest (or lack of it) you can escalate your complaint to stage 2.

At stage 2 (formal complaint/investigation stage) this can be in writing, by email, via the web site or over the telephone. The complaint should be addressed to the Chief Executive or the relevant Corporate Director, or Assistant Director. If you are not sure who is responsible our contact centre staff will be happy to advise you. The complaint will be acknowledged within 3 working days of receipt and a response given in 10 working days at this stage.

If you are still not happy with the response or what we have done you can escalate your complaint to stage 3.

Stage 3 (Review by the Chief Executive). If you are not happy with the response at stage 2 the case is passed to the Chief Executive for a review and response. This can be a review of the paperwork or may involve a meeting with you and the interested parties. The complaint is acknowledged within 3 working days of receipt and a response given in 15 working days at this stage.

If you are still not happy with the decision or want to question the internal procedures of the council the complaint can be moved to stage 4 (Ombudsman ). All papers are passed to the Local Government Ombudsman for a decision. You should follow the procedure above and let SLDC try to solve your complaint before you contact the Ombudsman.

Complaints Leaflet (PDF, 1774 Kb)