Complain about a council service
A complaint is a way of sharing your dissatisfaction with our service, actions or inaction - this includes services provided by our own staff, or those acting on our behalf.
Before you make a complaint
In the first instance, it may be more appropriate to:
Get support to make a complaint
If you need help making a complaint about one of our services, there are people who can support you. This is called independent advocacy.
This service is for people with physical or learning disabilities, older people, carers and those with mental health needs. They will help you make informed choices and decisions about your wellbeing and social care.
Reasonable adjustments are changes we can make to the way we communicate with you or deliver our services, so you’re not disadvantaged.
Everyone’s needs are different, so adjustments are personal to you.
Here are some common adjustments customers might ask for:
Communication support
If it helps you, we can:
- use your preferred way of contacting us (email, phone, text, letter)
- give information in large print or easy read format‑read formats
- speak slowly or give extra time to respond
- send a summary after a phone call
Process support
To help make processes easier, we can:
- give extra time to complete forms or provide documents
- accept complaints or information in a format that works for you (such as audio message, written statement or through a representative)
- provide a single named contact so you don’t have to repeat your story
Practical support
We can also:
- arrange quieter spaces for in-person conversations
- allow someone to support you during a call or meeting
- break information down into smaller steps
How to request an adjustment
You can ask us for an adjustment at any time.
Just tell us what you need and how it will help you.
You do not need to share personal medical details if you don’t want to.
You can request an adjustment:
- over the phone
- by email
- in writing
- through someone you trust
- during a conversation with us
We will always do our best to agree an adjustment that works for you.
When you ask for an adjustment, we will:
- listen and discuss what would help most
- confirm what we can offer
- record your adjustment (with your permission) so you don’t have to ask again
- keep you updated if anything changes
Complain about a council service
You can make a complaint using our online form:
You can also contact us by telephone, email or post. If you choose to write a letter, please make sure you leave your contact details alongside the complaint.
There are different processes to:
What happens next
Complaint (Stage 1)
We will acknowledge receipt of your complaint within 5 working days.
The complaint will be investigated by a senior member of staff, who may ask you for more information while dealing with your complaint.
We will provide a written response within 10 working days. If this is going to take longer, we will contact you to let you know when you can expect to hear from us.
Escalation (Stage 2)
If you are not satisfied with our first response, you can ask for a review of your complaint. You must do this within 20 working days of the response you originally received. This review will be carried out by an independent senior manager who will review the first response and provide a written response to the escalated complaint.
We will acknowledge this complaint within 5 working days and tell you who will be conducting the review.
We will provide a written response within 20 working days. If this is going to take longer, we will contact you to let you know when you can expect to hear from us.
If you are still unhappy
If you remain dissatisfied with both responses, you have the right to ask the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman to investigate the matter. The Ombudsman can investigate complaints about how the Council has done something or failed to do something.
They do not usually criticise the merits of a decision which has been properly taken simply because someone may disagree with it, but they will look at how a decision was made.
The Ombudsman will not usually consider a complaint until the Council has had a chance to resolve the matter through its own procedure.
Their contact details are:
Our policies
We do not accept unacceptable or unreasonable behaviour. Please treat our staff with respect.
You can also read our whistleblowing policy.
Last updated 12 October 2026