Talybont on Usk Council Complaints Procedure (revised)
1. Talybont-on-Usk Community Council is committed to providing a quality service for the benefit of the people who live or work in its area or are visitors to the locality. If you are dissatisfied with the standard of service you have received from this Council, or unhappy about an action or lack of action by this Council, this complaints procedure sets out how you may complain to the Council and how we shall try to resolve your complaint.
(b)Complaints against Councillors. Complaints against Councillors are covered by the Code of Conduct adopted by the Council. If a complaint against a Councillor is received by the Council, it will be referred to the Monitoring Officer of Powys County Council – Clive Pinney.
4. The appropriate time for influencing Council decision making is by raising your concerns before the Council debates and votes on a matter (The Council meets at 7pm on the third Monday of each month except during August and December. You may do this in writing to the Council in advance of the meeting at which the item is to be discussed – you also have an opportunity to attend the meeting and raise your concerns first hand.
5. If you are unhappy with a Council decision, you may raise your concerns with the Council, but Standing Orders prevent the Council from re-opening issues for six months from the date of the decision.
6. You may make your complaint about the Council’s procedures or administration to the Clerk to the Council at [email protected].
7. Wherever possible, the Clerk will try to resolve your complaint immediately. If this is not possible, the Clerk will acknowledge your complaint immediately and try to resolve your complaint within ten working days.
8. If the complaint has concerns regarding any action (or lack of action) taken by the Clerk the matter will be dealt with by the Chairman of the Community Council. The Chairman will acknowledge your complaint immediately and if he/she considers that he/she is unable to resolve the matter, he/she will report the complaint to the other Members.
9. The Clerk, the Chairman or the full council will investigate each complaint, obtaining further information as necessary from you and/ or staff or members of the Council.
10. The Clerk or the Chairman will notify you within twenty working days of the outcome of your complaint and of what action (if any) the Council proposes to take as a result of your complaint. In exceptional circumstances, the twenty days timescale may have to be extended – if it is, you will be kept informed.
11. If you are dissatisfied with the response to your complaint you may refer the matter to the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales who is based at 1 Oldfield Road, Pencoed (Tel 0300 790 0203). It is suggested that a telephone call to the Office will enable you to provide the necessary information required.
- This Complaints Procedure applies to complaints about the Council administration and procedures and may include complaints about how Council employees have dealt with your concerns.
- This procedure does not apply to:
(b)Complaints against Councillors. Complaints against Councillors are covered by the Code of Conduct adopted by the Council. If a complaint against a Councillor is received by the Council, it will be referred to the Monitoring Officer of Powys County Council – Clive Pinney.
4. The appropriate time for influencing Council decision making is by raising your concerns before the Council debates and votes on a matter (The Council meets at 7pm on the third Monday of each month except during August and December. You may do this in writing to the Council in advance of the meeting at which the item is to be discussed – you also have an opportunity to attend the meeting and raise your concerns first hand.
5. If you are unhappy with a Council decision, you may raise your concerns with the Council, but Standing Orders prevent the Council from re-opening issues for six months from the date of the decision.
6. You may make your complaint about the Council’s procedures or administration to the Clerk to the Council at [email protected].
7. Wherever possible, the Clerk will try to resolve your complaint immediately. If this is not possible, the Clerk will acknowledge your complaint immediately and try to resolve your complaint within ten working days.
8. If the complaint has concerns regarding any action (or lack of action) taken by the Clerk the matter will be dealt with by the Chairman of the Community Council. The Chairman will acknowledge your complaint immediately and if he/she considers that he/she is unable to resolve the matter, he/she will report the complaint to the other Members.
9. The Clerk, the Chairman or the full council will investigate each complaint, obtaining further information as necessary from you and/ or staff or members of the Council.
10. The Clerk or the Chairman will notify you within twenty working days of the outcome of your complaint and of what action (if any) the Council proposes to take as a result of your complaint. In exceptional circumstances, the twenty days timescale may have to be extended – if it is, you will be kept informed.
11. If you are dissatisfied with the response to your complaint you may refer the matter to the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales who is based at 1 Oldfield Road, Pencoed (Tel 0300 790 0203). It is suggested that a telephone call to the Office will enable you to provide the necessary information required.
Complaints against Councillors
All Community Councillors and Co-opted Members are required to abide by the Code of Conduct for Councillors adopted by their respective councils, which conform to the mandatory requirements of the Model Code of Conduct issued by the National Assembly for Wales. You may read more about the Code, the measures required and how to file a complaint here.
Vexatious Complaints
Where complaints continue and have been identified as habitual or vexatious, the Clerk will seek agreement to treat the complainant as a habitual or vexatious complainant for the appropriate course of action to be taken.
The Clerk on behalf of the Council will notify complainants, in writing, of the reasons why their complaint has been treated as habitual or vexatious and the action that will be taken. Community Councillors for Talybont-on-Usk Community Council will also be informed that a constituent has been designated as a habitual or vexatious complainant.
The full policy is available here.
The Clerk on behalf of the Council will notify complainants, in writing, of the reasons why their complaint has been treated as habitual or vexatious and the action that will be taken. Community Councillors for Talybont-on-Usk Community Council will also be informed that a constituent has been designated as a habitual or vexatious complainant.
The full policy is available here.