Warning – uncontrolled when printed – the current version of this document is kept on the HRCC intranet and/or website Printed 2/12/19 HRCC Procedure No: P04/240 – Complaint Resolution Page 1 of 9 Complaint Resolution 1. PURPOSE To provide an open and transparent complaint handling system for Horsham Rural City Council by: Establishing timeframes for resolving complaints Clarifying roles and responsibilities of Council staff Ensuring that staff handle complaints fairly and objectively Setting out how staff record and analyse complaint data to identify where we can improve our services. 2. INTRODUCTION Members of the public have the right to complain about Council services. A complaint may arise when a programmed or requested service that should be provided has not been provided to the predetermined standard, there has been a delay in responding to a service request, or a Council Officer has behaved in an inappropriate way. Horsham Rural City Council is committed to managing complaints in a transparent, fair and consistent way and feedback is encouraged. It helps improve Council services and the way business is conducted. This procedure aims to ensure that customers can raise their complaints easily and with confidence that Council will listen and respond to their concerns, and handle their complaint in a fair and equitable way. If Council is not the right organisation to respond to the complaint, the complainant will be referred to an organisation that can help. Requests for service, information, suggestions and enquiries are not complaints and will not be handled through the complaints resolution process. The Complaint Resolution policy should be read in conjunction with this procedure. 3. SCOPE This procedure applies to all Council staff and contractors carrying out services on Council’s behalf. This procedure also forms the basis of expectations for student placements and volunteers in respect of the conduct expected by Council. Complaints in relation to prospective, current or past employment with Council are outside the scope of this policy and will be directed to the Manager People and Culture. 4. ACTIONS 4.1 How we handle complaints Council uses a four-tiered approach to handling complaints. Details are provided in the table below. Appendix 1 is a flowchart that shows how the four-tiered approach to complaint handling can work in practice. PROCEDURE – P04/240
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Complaint Resolution procedure · demands, unreasonable lack of co-operation, unreasonable arguments and unreasonable behaviours. Conduct can be across one or more of these categories.
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Warning – uncontrolled when printed – the current version of this document is kept on the HRCC intranet and/or website Printed 2/12/19
Volunteers: Complaints about volunteers will be managed through the relevant volunteer co-ordinator.
Contractors: Council recognises that it has a level of responsibility for services carried out by contractors on
its behalf. When Council receives a complaint about a contractor, the relevant Departmental Manager will
monitor the way the contractor deals with the complaint and have clear oversight of their complaint handling
process. The contractor will liaise with the Departmental Manager about the response to be provided to the
complainant. If the complainant is not satisfied with the outcome, they can ask Council to review the
decision.
The outcome letter written by the contractor in relation to the complaint will include the name and contact
details of the relevant Departmental Manager to whom the complainant may escalate their complaint, if they
are not satisfied with the outcome the contractor has provided.
The contractor must provide the relevant Departmental Manager with all information in relation to the
complaint so that it can be entered onto Council’s customer request system and registered on the record
management system.
4.10 Repeated Complaints
When a repeated complaint is received regarding a matter that has not been actioned, or where the
complainant is dissatisfied with the response, it will be immediately escalated to Step 3 outlined in Council’s
four-tiered approach to handling complaints (refer to 4.1).
5. COMMUNICATION
This procedure will be available on the website and intranet and promoted at staff meetings. An overview of
Council’s complaint resolution process will also be provided as part of the induction process for all new staff.
6. RESPONSIBILITY
Responsible Owner: Co-ordinator Governance
7. DEFINITIONS
Definition Meaning
Complainant A person or entity that makes a complaint and is affected by the action or inaction of Council
Complaint A programmed service that has not been provided to the predetermined standard (timeline, quality and quantity); or
A requested service that should be provided but has not been provided to the predetermined standard (timeline, quality and quantity); or
A delay in responding to a service request; or conduct unbecoming of an Officer of Council
Corruption Misuse of public power or position
Frontline staff All staff and their teams who have the authority in their role to manage simple complaints – this is typically staff who have direct contact with customers but it could be any staff who initially receive a complaint, regardless of their position or role within Council
Service Request A request for the provision of a service that is not provided on a programemd basis; or
A request for the provision of a programmed service in excess of predetermined standard (timeline, quality and quantity)
Unreasonable Complainant Conduct
Any behaviour by a current or former complainant which, because of its nature or frequency raises substantial health, safety, resource or equity issues for Council, that impacts on employees, other service users and/or the complainant themselves
Warning – uncontrolled when printed – the current version of this document is kept on the HRCC intranet and/or website Printed 2/12/19