We recognise that customers are likely to be persistent when they believe they have been subjected to a mistake or failure. In most cases, this persistence is reasonable and justified. As outlined by the Local Government Ombudsman, the point at which persistence becomes unreasonable, is when the nature or frequency of a customer’s contact with us starts to hinder the consideration of their, or other people’s complaints. This could either be during, or following the completion of a complaint investigation.
The complaints process is intended to give redress to residents and businesses where they do not agree that the Council has dealt with their case or service request correctly. It is not intended as an alternative to an appeals process, or to making representations as part of a decision-making process. It is expected that both the Council and complainants use this process in good faith.
We aim to deal fairly, impartially and in an appropriate manner with all of our customers but, we retain the right to restrict or change access to our services where we consider their actions and/or behaviour to be unacceptable or unreasonable.
We have a duty to protect the safety and welfare of our staff and to ensure that our resources and public money are not spent on dealing with unacceptable customer conduct. Our aim in doing this is to ensure that customers, service users and our staff do not suffer any disadvantage from customers who act in an unacceptable manner.
Where the Council concludes that an individual or organisation is not using this complaints process in the spirit in which it is intended, it will consider implementation of the Managed Contact Policy.