Introduction
We are committed to providing fair and courteous, high-quality customer service and continuously improving our services.
Giving us feedback and telling us when we get things wrong, helps us to rectify our mistakes, say sorry, and put things right for next time.
We will listen to your complaints, treat them seriously and learn from them.
What this policy covers
This policy explains how to raise a complaint with us, how we will manage your complaint and how to take things further if you are still dissatisfied.
Privacy
We have a duty to protect your personal data and keep it secure. View our Privacy Notice.
When should I submit my complaint?
You should let us know if you have a complaint as soon as possible, but ideally within 3 months of the issue occurring. Waiting any longer could make the situation worse or more difficult to resolve or investigate fully.
We will not usually investigate a complaint that is more than 3 months old unless there are exceptional circumstances.
Can I get someone to help me make my complaint?
If you need help to make your complaint, there is support available. We just need signed written consent from you that we can discuss your complaint with the person/organisation you have nominated to do this on your behalf. We are happy to receive your complaint from:
- Friends or family members
- Professionals (for example: social workers, solicitors, doctors)
- Councillors (elected members) or Members of Parliament
- Advocacy providers deliver a range of statutory and non-statutory advocacy services to the residents of Oxfordshire
What is a complaint?
A complaint highlights an issue or your dissatisfaction with the standard of service the council has provided and/or the behaviour of our staff in delivering it.
When investigating any complaints about a fee or subscription service we will consider our responsibilities under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 in any actions we may take.
What is NOT a complaint?
- Issues that have a separate or statutory appeals process. Including, but not limited to:
- Appeals against Planning, Licensing or Housing decisions
- Appeals against a fixed penalty notice (FPN) for parking or dog fouling
- Matters that you may have to go to court about. Including, but not limited to:
- Council Tax, Business Rates and Benefits recovery action
- Enforcement action
- Issues regarding the conduct of the Chief Executive (but not where they are cited because of their overall responsibilities) will be referred to the Leader of the Council
- Issues concerning the conduct of a councillor (elected member)
- Separate arrangements exist for complaints alleging councillor misconduct under the Localism Act 2011. More information about complaints of councillor misconduct.
- These complaints are handled by the Monitoring Officer and should be made using the online form, or in writing to The Monitoring Officer at Cherwell District Council, Bodicote House, Bodicote, Banbury, Oxon, OX15 4AA or email standardsmonitoringofficer@cherwell-dc.gov.uk
- Issues that are not managed by us. Including, but not limited to:
- Roads, potholes, streetlighting and roadworks – These matters are dealt with by Oxfordshire County Council
- Parks, play areas and open spaces in Cherwell - Management and maintenance of these areas depends on their location. Please report any issues to the relevant Town or Parish council for the location
- Service requests and reports. Including, but not limited to:
- Complaints about noise nuisance and antisocial behaviour
- Reporting a missed bin or fly tipping
- Report a breach of planning control
- A request for information or report of a breach under data protection legislation (including a subject access request)
- A request for information under freedom of information legislation
- Comments about council policy decisions and consultations
Feedback and comments
If you contact us about a matter that isn’t a complaint about our service or the way it has been delivered, and it doesn’t fall within any of our other policies we will note your comments and treat this as feedback.
Feedback helps us to understand more about the services we provide and the communities we serve. Even if we cannot take immediate action to change the matter you raise, your feedback can help us design and shape our future services.
Some examples of feedback and comments
- You do not agree with one of our policies – your feedback will be passed to the relevant service to be considered during the next policy review
- You think we should provide additional non-statutory services – your feedback will be passed to the relevant service for consideration
Reasons we may refuse a complaint
If you contact us about a matter that is listed above in the section What is NOT a complaint? we will direct you to the correct council service or other relevant organisation and will not treat the matter as a complaint under this policy.
Service requests and reports will be managed as a “business as usual request”.
There are also occasions where we may refuse to investigate your complaint further, including:
- Where the matter has already been investigated under another process. For example, by statutory appeal or court process
- Where the complaint is attempting to reopen a previous complaint that has been responded to as our final position, based on the information we have
- Where the time limit for receiving a complaint has passed
- Where the complaint is considered to fall under our unacceptable and unreasonable behaviour policy
- Where the complaint is anonymous
- Where the complaint does not contain sufficient information to investigate, and you do not provide the information required when we ask for it