Policies & Procedures

Complaints Policy

Adopted: 24th November 2021

To be reviewed: November 2022

Mareham Le Fen Parish Council Complaints Procedure:

1. Complaints from the general public may be made in person, by telephone, by email or by writing to the Parish Clerk.  They should be made within reasonable hours.  If a Complaint is to be made about the Clerk, this should be sent to the Chairman of the Parish Council.  The complaint shall include the following:

• Name of the complainant
• Address of the complainant
• Telephone number, and/or email address
• Details of the complaint

2. On receipt of a written complaint the Clerk or Chairman shall (except where the complaint is about a member of staff or a Councillor) try to settle the complaint directly with the complainant.
   2. 1  Where the Clerk or Chairman receives a written complaint about a member of staff the Parish Council will treat this as a staffing matter and will investigate the matter and if necessary invoke its disciplinary procedure.
3. Where the Clerk or Chairman receives a written complaint about a Councillor, the complainant will be referred to the Monitoring Office at East Lindsey District Council.
4. The Clerk or Chairman shall report to the next meeting of the Council any written complaint disposed of by direct action with the complainant.
5. The Clerk or Chairman shall bring any written complaint which has not been settled to the Complaints Committee (3 members of the Council) who will agree a date for a meeting to review the complaint.  The Clerk shall notify the complainant of the date on which the complaint will be considered, and the complainant shall be offered an opportunity to explain the complaint orally.
6. Seven clear working days prior to the meeting, the complainant shall provide the Council with copies of any documentation or other evidence relied on.  The Council shall provide the complainant with copies of any documentation upon which it wishes to rely at the meeting and shall do so promptly, allowing the claimant the opportunity to read the material in good time for the meeting.
7. The Council shall consider whether the circumstances attending any complaint warrant the matter being discussed in the absence of the press and public but any decision on a complaint shall be announced at the Council meeting in public.
8. The complainant (or representative) should outline the grounds for complaint and, thereafter, questions may be asked by:

• The Clerk or other nominated officer and then
• Members

9. The Clerk or other nominated officer will have an opportunity to explain the Council’s position and questions may be asked by:

• The Complainant and
• Members

10. The Clerk or other nominated officer and then the complainant should be offered the opportunity to summarise their position.
11. The Clerk or other nominated officer and the complainant should be asked to leave the room while members decide whether the grounds for the complaint have been made.  If a point of clarification is necessary, both parties shall be invited back.
12. The Clerk or other nominated officer and the complainant should be given the opportunity to wait for the decision but if the decision is unlikely to be finalised on that day they should be advised when the decision is likely to be made and when it is likely to be communicated to them.
13. As soon as may be after the decision has been made it and the nature of any action to be taken shall be communicated in writing to the complainant.
14. All complaints will be considered without delay but allowing sufficient time for the Council to obtain advice from third parties as necessary.
15. If the complainant is not happy with the committee’s response, the complainant has the right to appeal to the full Council (minus those on the committee).