If you are unhappy with:

• the quality of service you have received.
• the delay in providing you with a service.
• the actions of any member of staff.

or if you would like to:

• make a suggestion reagrding a service
• compliment a service or member fo staff
• tell us anything else to do with Sandwell Council,

please contact Customer Services
...we would like to have the opportunity to put things right.

• How do I make a complaint / give feedback?
• What is the complaints procedure?
• What if I am not happy with the way my complaint is dealt with?
• Complaints relating to a response received under the Freedom of Information Act / Data Protection Act / Environmental Information Regulations

How do I make a complaint / give feedback?

You may make a complaint, or give any other feedback, such as a suggestion or compliment, by contacting:

Customer Services
PO Box 2374
Oldbury
West Midlands
B69 3DE

Tel: 0845 359 7510
Email: customerrelations@sandwell.gov.uk

What is the complaints procedure?

We have a simple procedure for dealing with complaints:

Stage 1

The people who can best deal with a complaint in the first place are those who provide the service. So first of all give them a ring or write a letter, they might not know that you are unhappy.

If you remain dissatisfied with the response you can make a formal complaint by:

• completing a complaint / comment / compliment form (available from all Council Offices, Libraries and Neighbourhood Offices).
• telling us about your complaint in a letter.
• calling in person.
• phoning us.
• emailing your complaint to us.

We will try to sort out your complaint quickly and informally. We will acknowledge receipt of your complaint within 2 working days. We will give you the name and phone number of the officer dealing with your complaint. Your complaint will be fully investigated and you will receive a written reply within 10 working days. However, if your complaint is very complicated, we may need longer to investigate. If we do, we will explain the reasons for any delay and say when you can expect to hear the outcome.

Stage 2

If you remain dissatisfied with the response to your complaint you have the right to appeal. You will be asked to say why you remain unhappy and what you feel should happen to put your complaint right. An Independent Investigator will review your complaint, interview you and make recommendations where necessary to the Senior Manager of the service complained about.The Senior Manager will then write to you to advise what actions will be taken.

If you are still not happy, you can take your complaint to the Local Government Ombudsman (see section ‘What if I am not happy with the way my complaint is dealt with?’). This person is not part of Sandwell Council and will view your complaint independently.

What if I am not happy with the way my complaint is dealt with?

Ombudsman (Local Government Ombudsman)

The ombudsman investigates complaints about local councils. The office is unbiased and independent and investigations are carried out in private.

The Local Government Ombudsman will only normally investigate the issues after it is satisfied that the Council has had the opportunity to deal with the matter first.

You may approach the Local Government Ombudsman at any stage of your complaint. However, if your complaint has not already been investigated via the Council ‘s complaint procedure, the Ombudsman may ask you to register your concerns with the Council in the first instance.

The Local Government Ombudsman for the Sandwell Area is based at:

The Oaks
2 Westwood Way
Westwood Business Park
Coventry
CV4 8JB

Tel: 02476 820000
Fax: 02476 820001

Web: www.lgo.org.uk

Complaints relating to a response received under the Freedom of Information Act / Data Protection / Environmental Information Regulations

If your complaint is in relation to a response received under the Freedom of Information Act, Information Act, Data Protection Act or Environmental Information Regulations, the Council will ask the Head of Governance Services to appoint a suitably experienced officer to investigate the complaint.

You will receive an acknowledgement of your complaint within three working days providing you with the name and contact details of the Investigating Officer.

We will aim to respond to your complaint within 10 working days from receipt of your complaint, if this is not possible the Investigating Officer will contact you with a revised timescale.

If you remain dissatisfied after receiving a response to your complaint, you have the right to refer the matter to the Information Commissioner.

The Information Commissioner
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF

Tel: 01625 545 700
Fax: 01625 524510

Email: data@dataprotection.gov.uk
Web: www.dataprotection.gov.uk