Witham Friary Parish Council
Complaints Procedure
- Witham Parish Council – Date of adoption 9th March 2022
- Review date February 2024
Witham Friary Parish Council endeavours to supply a quality service to the parishioners of Witham Friary parish.
The purpose of this document is to indicate the procedure to be followed if you are dissatisfied with the quality of that service and sets out how you may complain and how the Council will endeavour to resolve your complaint.
It is the duty of the Council to determine that the term complaint is appropriate to an enquiry. Sometimes members of the public use the word complaint when sometimes it is not. The definition by the Local Government Ombudsman is:
A complaint is an expression of dissatisfaction by one or more members of the public about the council’s action or lack of action or about the standard of service, whether the action was taken or the service provided by the council itself or a person or body acting on behalf of the Council.
This procedure does not cover complaints about:
- The behaviour and actions of Parish Councillors – these being dealt with in the Code of Conduct adopted by the Parish Council on 1st September 2012. Essentially any complaint falling into this category will be dealt with by the Monitoring Officer of Mendip District Council, but see the Code of Conduct for more detail.
- Financial Irregularities, which should be referred to the Council’s auditor or the Audit Commission.
- Criminal Activity, which should be referred to the Police.
- Employee Conduct, which will be dealt with by an internal disciplinary procedure.
Any Local elector is able to influence any matter before the Parish Council either by writing to the Chairman or Clerk before a meeting or taking advantage of the public participation session before the other business at the Parish Council Meeting which is normally held at 7.30 pm. in the village hall on the second Tuesday of the month.
You may make a complaint, preferably in writing or by emailing the Clerk to the Council. The addresses are:
Jen Gregory, 6, Cobblers Way, Westfield, Radstock, BA3 3BX email: withamfriary.parishcouncil@gmail.com
The Clerk will try to resolve any complaint within ten working days. If this is not possible, the Clerk will acknowledge receipt within ten working days and pass the matter to the Chairman who will decide on the appropriate action.
Should you not wish to report your complaint to the Clerk, you may complain directly to the Chairman: Hugo Brooke, Manor Barn, Witham Friary, BA11 5HF email: hugobrooke@gmail.com
The complaint will be investigated by the Complaints Committee of the Council obtaining further information from the complainant or other person(s) or body as appropriate. If necessary, the Complaints Committee will call a formal meeting to deal with the matter.
The Clerk or Chairman will advise the complainant within ten working days of the outcome of the complaint and what action (if any) the Council proposes to take as a result of the complaint. This timescale may be extended if circumstances so demand.
If you are dissatisfied with the response to your complaint, you may ask for your complaint to be considered by the full council, usually within six weeks after which time you will be notified in writing of the outcome of the review of your original complaint.