Complaints, compliments and feedback
We are committed to putting you, our customers, first.
That means we always want 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'll be helping us to improve the council for everybody.
Three ways to tell us what you think
- Make a formal complaint
- Pay us a compliment
- Provide general feedback
You can tell us what you think online however, there are further options if you can't do it online.
Complaints
You can make a complaint when you're not satisfied with our standard of service, action, lack of action, or decision we've taken.
However, you shouldn't make a formal complaint through this process when you:
- want us to sort out an issue or problem you consider to be our responsibility. Instead you should report a problem to us.
- have a complaint with non-council services, organisations or individuals. You may want us to enforce something, such as a food hygiene issue, but your complaint isn't actually about a council service.
- want to appeal a decision. Instead, you'll find information about making an appeal in the relevant area of the website, for example, Council Tax, planning, housing, benefits, school admissions.
- want to make a subject access request to see your personal information
- want to raise a safeguarding concern for an adult
- want to raise a safeguarding concern for a child
There is further information about what constitutes a complaint in our customer feedback and complaints handling policy.
When dealing with a complaint, we have a right to be treated fairly and with respect. We also expect the demand on our time and resources to be reasonable and proportionate to the seriousness of the complaint.
There are some circumstances in which the improper conduct of a customer means we will not continue dealing with a complaint. You can read more information about this in our customer behaviour policy (PDF).
Select one of the options below for further information about the complaints process for each service:
- General service complaints
- Tenants council housing and service complaints
- Children’s services complaints
- Adult’s services complaints
- Request a Freedom of Information review
Compliments
The purpose of a compliment is to let us know if you're particularly happy about a service you've received or a member of staff who has provided a service that's impressed you.
We'll share the good news, and you'll help improve the service by increasing motivation and confidence levels. Generally we won't reply to compliments.
General feedback
This is an opportunity for you to give us your general views on a service we've provided, including areas where we could improve.
We'll read your comments carefully and, where appropriate, consider where we could make changes to improve. You can tell us whether or not you want a response to your feedback.