Corporate Complaints Policy

1. Introduction

Peterborough City Council is committed to listening to the views of our customers so we can improve the services we provide. Complaints are an important source of feedback and a key indicator of where services may not be delivering their best. From April 2026 we will operate a corporate complaints policy that is aligned to the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman’s (LGSCO) Complaint Handling Code. This policy sets out a transparent, accessible and fair process that aims to resolve complaints promptly and to use learning from complaints to improve services.

2. Our objectives

• Ensure everyone knows how to complain and what will happen next;
• Provide a fair, accessible and effective way to complain about our services, with Reasonable adjustments where needed;
• Deal with complaints consistently across the Council and resolve them at the earliest opportunity;
• Record, monitor and analyse complaints and service requests to drive service improvements;
• Improve public satisfaction and confidence in how we handle complaints and deliver services.

3. Accessibility and awareness

We make it easy to complain. Individuals can raise a complaint in any way (online, email, telephone, letter or in person) and to any frontline member of staff or direct to the Central Complaints Office. All staff must recognise potential complaints and pass details promptly to the Central Complaints Office.

We will make reasonable adjustments for disabled people or others who need them under the Equality Act 2010. We will agree, record and keep such adjustments under regular review.

We allow individuals to appoint a representative to act on their behalf and to be accompanied at any meeting. We will normally require written consent, except where an MP is representing a constituent.

Our complaints policy, process and timescales are published on our website in a clear and accessible format. Where we ask for customer feedback through surveys, we will also explain how to make a complaint.

It is not necessary to send complaints to senior managers, Directors or the Chief Executive and any complaints received in this way will be sent to the Central Complaints Office so the complaint is actioned in line with this policy.

We will provide clear information about the LGSCO, including how to contact the Ombudsman at the end of our process or when we extend timescales.

4. Our definition of a service request and a complaint

A service request is a request that the Council provides or improves a service, fixes a problem or reconsiders a decision. Service requests are not complaints but may contain dissatisfaction. We will normally seek to resolve a service request before a complaint is made and will continue our efforts to address the service request even if a complaint is later raised.

A complaint is an expression of dissatisfaction, however made, about the standard of service, actions or lack of action by the Council, its staff, or those acting on its behalf, affecting an individual or group of individuals. An individual does not need to use the word “complaint” for it to be treated as such. Complaints submitted via a third party or representative will be handled in line with this policy.

We record, monitor and regularly review both service requests and complaints to identify trends and drive improvement.

Examples of service requests include (not exhaustive):

• Collecting a missed bin;

• Cutting grass or hedges in public areas that are overgrown;

• Clearing litter in a location;

• Reporting a pothole;

• Reporting a noise complaint/anti-social behaviour;

• Reporting a planning enforcement matter;

• Reporting a faulty parking machine.

5. Complaints that fall outside this policy (Exclusions)

We will accept a complaint unless there is a valid reason not to do so. Where we decide not to accept or not to escalate a complaint, we will explain our reasons, reference this policy, and advise the individual of their right to refer the matter to the LGSCO if we are not signposting the customer to take the issue through an alternative legal process. We will consider each case on its merits and avoid blanket exclusions. We will normally accept complaints raised within 12 months of the issue occurring or the individual becoming aware of it, but we may apply discretion to accept older matters where there are good reasons.

General Exclusions

• Matters with a statutory right of appeal, review, court or tribunal remedy;

• Complaints about or concerning Councillors (otherwise handled under the Members’ Code of Conduct provisions);

• Matters covered by separate statutory complaints processes (Adult Social Care and Children’s Social Care);

• Claims for loss or damages (handled by the Council’s insurance team);

• Where legal proceedings have been invoked, or court/tribunal action is under way;

• Allegations of criminal activity (should be reported to the Police);

• Employment/personnel matters raised by employees or ex-employees;

• Data protection breaches and FOI reviews (handled by the Data Protection team and Information Commissioner processes);

• Dissatisfaction by a consultee with the outcome of a planning consultation where Judicial Review is available;

• Dissatisfaction with the complaints process will not be recorded as a separate complaint and will be incorporated into the response to the substantive complaint or if the complaint is not accepted will carry a right of referral to the LGSCO.

• Complaints about services provided by outsourced suppliers or contractors where a separate process has been agreed (see section 7.3);

6. Complaint handling resources, roles and governance

We assign sufficient, designated resource to manage complaints, liaise with the LGSCO and report performance to governance.

Managers responding to complaints have access to staff at all levels and the authority to act promptly and fairly to resolve disputes.

We promote a positive complaint handling culture. Relevant staff are trained in complaint handling and understand this policy.

We designate a “Member Responsible for Complaints” within our governance to receive regular insight on volumes, themes and performance.

7. Our procedure

We operate a simple two-stage complaints procedure. We do not use extra named stages (such as “stage 0” or “informal complaint”) as these can cause confusion. We focus on early, local resolution wherever possible.

We can put things right at any stage of the process. Individuals will not be required to escalate to Stage 2 or to the Ombudsman to obtain an appropriate remedy where it is clear one is warranted.

7.1 Stage 1 – Local resolution

Acknowledgement: We will acknowledge and log your complaint within five working days of receipt.

• Contact and clarification: A manager with knowledge of the service will consider the complaint, clarify any points where needed, and may contact you (normally by telephone or email) if they need to gain a better understanding of the issues and the outcome you are seeking.
• Response times: We will provide a full written response within 10 working days of acknowledging your complaint.
• Extensions: If the complaint is complex and we need more time, we will explain why and give you a revised timescale. Any extension will be no more than a further 10 working days without good reason. When we extend, we will also provide details of how to contact the LGSCO.
• Content of response: We will address all points raised, explain our decisions with reference to relevant policy, law or good practice, and be clear about any matters for which we are not responsible.
• Outstanding actions: We may send our response when the answer to the complaint is known, even if actions remain outstanding. We will track and complete any actions and keep you updated.
• Escalation: If you remain dissatisfied after receiving the Stage 1 response you may ask us to progress your complaint to Stage 2.

7.2 Stage 2 – Final review

• Requesting Stage 2: If all or part of your complaint remains unresolved after Stage 1, you can request a Stage 2 review. You will not be required to justify why you want Stage 2, but we will seek to understand what outcome you are still seeking.
• Acknowledgement: We will acknowledge and log your Stage 2 request within five working days. We will set out our understanding of the outstanding issues and the outcomes you seek, asking for clarification if anything is unclear.
• Independence: The service Director or Head of Service will nominate another manager who was not involved at Stage 1 to conduct the review. They will then consider that review and will send the final response.
• Response time: We will issue our final response within 20 working days of acknowledging your Stage 2 request.
• Extensions: If the complaint is complex and we need more time, we will explain why and provide a revised timescale. Any extension will be no more than a further 20 working days without good reason. When we extend, we will also provide details of how to contact the LGSCO.
• Final response content: Our Stage 2 response will confirm: the complaint stage; our understanding of the complaint; the decision; reasons for the decision; any remedy to put things right; any outstanding actions; and how to escalate to the LGSCO if you remain dissatisfied.
• Final stage: Stage 2 is the Council’s final response.

7.3 Complaints handled differently

• Contracted services: Where a contractor handles complaints at the first stage (for example, waste management, libraries and leisure, selective licensing, or enforcement agents), this will form part of our two-stage process. The Council retains responsibility for ensuring alignment with this policy and the Code and will issue the final Stage 2 response. Individuals should not have to go through two separate complaints processes.
• Complaints spanning multiple services: Where interconnected issues affect more than one service, we will coordinate a single response where appropriate.
• Housing reviews: Applicants dissatisfied with a housing allocation decision may request a statutory review (56-day time limit). If still dissatisfied, they may raise a complaint which will be considered as a final Stage 2 response with a direct right of referral to the LGSCO.
• Blue Badge decisions: Unsuccessful applicants have a right of appeal handled by the Blue Badge team. Appeal decisions will include a direct right of referral to the LGSCO and will not normally be registered as complaints.

8. Putting things right (Remedies)

Where we identify that something has gone wrong, we will acknowledge this and set out the actions we have taken or intend to take to put things right. Remedies may include:

• Apologising and acknowledging where things went wrong;
• Providing an explanation, assistance or reasons;
• Taking action to address delay;
• Reconsidering or changing a decision;
• Amending a record or adding a correction/addendum;
• Providing a financial remedy where appropriate;
• Changing policies, procedures or practices.

9. Unreasonable behaviour by complainants

We recognise that people may act out of character in times of distress. We do not consider behaviour unacceptable simply because someone is determined or forceful. However, where behaviour places unreasonable demands on Council services or involves unacceptable conduct towards staff, we may place proportionate and time-limited restrictions on contact. We will evidence the reasons, consider our Equality Act 2010 duties, and keep any restrictions under regular review. A separate Unacceptable Behaviour by Complainants Policy sets out the detailed procedures (see the Unacceptable Behaviour by Complainants Policy page).

10. Anonymous complaints

Anonymous complaints will not normally be recorded but will be referred to the relevant service for general consideration. To progress a complaint through this procedure we require a full name and address (where the customer has one) and contact details (email or telephone) unless contact is via post.

11. Data protection and record keeping

• We will process personal data to handle complaints in line with data protection law. We will hold such data securely and share it only with those who need to consider the complaint.
• We will keep a full record of the complaint and the outcome at each stage, including the original complaint and date received, all correspondence with the individual and other parties, and relevant supporting documents. Records will be retained in line with our retention schedule (normally six years after closure).
• Under the UK GDPR and Data Protection Act 2018, individuals may request access to their personal data, subject to applicable exemptions.

12. Performance reporting, self-assessment and learning

• We will produce an annual complaints performance and service improvement report for scrutiny and challenge.

This will include:

(a) an annual self-assessment against this Code;

(b) qualitative and quantitative analysis of complaint handling, including a summary of any complaints we refused to accept and reasons;

(c) any findings of non-compliance with the Code;

(d) improvements made as a result of learning from complaints;

(e) the LGSCO annual letter; and

(f) any other relevant LGSCO publications relating to the Council.

• The annual report will be considered through our governance arrangements and published on our website alongside the governance response.
• We will also complete a self-assessment following any significant restructure, merger or change in procedures.
• We will share learning and improvements from complaints with stakeholders including staff, citizens’ panels and relevant committees to support a positive complaint handling culture.

13. Responsibility for the policy

• The Member Responsible for Complaints will receive regular information on complaint volumes, categories, outcomes and performance, reviews trends, and considers the annual complaints performance and service improvement report.
• The Chief Executive (or their nominee) is responsible for the overall policy and its triennial review.
• Directors are responsible for investigation and response to Stage 2 and LGSCO complaints.
• Heads of Service are responsible for the overall process of recording, monitoring and reporting Stage 1 complaints made against their services, including quality assurance of responses.
• The Central Complaints Office is responsible for communicating this policy and associated procedures; taking complaints from the public and redirecting them where necessary; monitoring and coordinating Stage 2 reviews; liaison with the LGSCO; and reporting on performance to management teams, committees and the public.

14. Other relevant documents

• General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and Data Protection Act 2018
• Equality Act 2010
• Freedom of Information Act 2000
• Human Rights Act 1998
• Hate Crimes Policy
• Unacceptable Behaviour by Complainants Policy