Complaints Process
This complaints process is designed to deal with complaints made about the Council’s action or perceived lack of action, or about the standard of a service, whether the action was taken or the service provided by the Council itself acting as a body corporate, or by a person or body acting on behalf of the Council. Any complaint that involves one of the Council’s employees will be dealt with in the first instance via this complaints procedure, and if any further action is required, then in accordance with the Council’s internal employment processes.
Please be aware that there are other bodies with responsibility for certain types of complaint:
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Individual member’s conduct alleged to breach the Code of Conduct adopted by the Council |
The relevant principal authority Monitoring Officer should be contacted – the district council has responsibility for such matters and can be contacted as follows: The Legal & Democratic Services Team South Kesteven District Council Council Offices St Peters Hill Grantham Lincs NG31 6PZ |
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Alleged financial irregularity |
Local electors have a statutory right to object to a Council’s audit of accounts (Audit Commission Act 1998 s.16) |
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Alleged criminal activity |
The Police |
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Safeguarding concerns |
Lincolnshire County Council – contact:
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The Council will follow the following process in dealing with your complaint.
Stage 1
The Council will acknowledge your complaint within 3 working days. The Clerk will provide you with a full response within 15 working days or explain why they are unable to and give you an achievable date for you to receive a response by.
Stage 2
If you are unhappy with the stage 1 response you have the right to request that the matter is reviewed by the Chairman of the Council. This request should be received within 3 months of you receiving your stage 1 response. The Chairman will review the previous decisions and decide if they were fair and reasonable. The Clerk will acknowledge your communication within 3 working days. The Chairman will investigate your complaint and will provide you with a full response within 15 working days or explain why they are unable to and give you an achievable date for you to receive a response by.
Stage 3
If you still feel our response is unacceptable you can request that it is reviewed by the full Council. This request should be received within 3 months of you receiving your stage 2 response. The Clerk will acknowledge your communication within 3 working days. The Council will investigate your complaint and will provide you with a full response within 15 working days or explain why they are unable to and give you an achievable date for you to receive a response by.
Unreasonable persistent complaints
On rare occasions the Council may have to make a difficult decision about a complainant who it feels is being unfair or persistent in the manner or frequency of their contact. The decision to do this will not be taken lightly and will be taken at a meeting of the full Council.
In some cases the Council may decide that the only option is to advise the complainant that it cannot assist with the complaint any further. In these cases the Clerk will advise the complainant in writing why the Council feels the complaint falls into this category and that the Council will not be responding to the complaint any further.
If you wish to make a complaint, please contact the Clerk to the council by email: csncpcclerk@outlook.com
or by post:
Carlton Scroop and Normanton on Cliffe Parish Council
482 Newark Road
North Hykeham
Lincolnshire
LN6 9SP
This process was approved by the Parish Council at its meeting on 17 May 2021