What to do if you are unhappy with our
service
We are always keen to provide the
best possible service for our customers. However, sometimes
we may not live up to your expectations, so we have set up a
procedure to assist you if you wish to make a complaint. The
procedure will help to ensure that your complaint is fully
investigated and is dealt with fairly and as quickly as
possible. It will also help us to take the right action to
improve our service to customers. Please use the complaints
procedure if you feel that:
- We have given inaccurate, misleading or confusing advice
- We have not followed our procedures, or have failed to meet our
standards
- A member of staff has been discourteous in any way
Step 1 - Informally by
the Service Unit
To begin with, please contact
Colin Peters Head of
Development Control or
Elaine Pettitt
Customer Liaison Officer. You may telephone, e-mail, or write
to us. Our telephone numbers can be found in
Who's who in
Planning. We will acknowledge your contact within 5
working days and will be happy to meet with you, either at home or
here at the Civic Offices, to have a personal chat about your
concerns. If a formal reply is required following our visit
or meeting, this will be sent to you within 10 working days.
If you choose not to meet with
ourselves, we will ensure your concerns are investigated
thoroughly, and that a written response is sent to you. We
will aim to do this within 10 working days from the day we receive
your complaint, though if a delay is envisaged, you will be
informed and given an explanation as to why.
Step 2 - Formal
Complaint
We hope we can resolve your
complaint, but if you are not happy with the response you receive,
you may wish to make a formal complaint. I f so, please write to
the
Chief Executive at the
address below, giving as much information as possible.
Chief Executive
Eastleigh Borough Council
Civic Offices
Leigh Road
Eastleigh
SO50 9YN
Step 3 - Management
Team
If your concern is still unresolved,
you may request that the matter be reviewed by the Council's
Management Team.
The Local Government
Ombudsman
The Local Government Ombudsman is
appointed independently to investigate complaints against Local
Authorities. The Ombudsman cannot overturn the Council's
decision on an application, but can investigate our processes and
procedures.
The Council must have an opportunity
to look into your complaint before it can be investigated by the
Ombudsman,
so you must follow at least Step
1. If you are not satisfied with the Council's
response, or we have not dealt with it in a reasonable time, please
contact the Ombudsman. A leaflet giving further guidance is
available from our reception, libraries, the Citizens Advice
Bureau, or direct from the Ombudsman office. Their number is:
024 7669 5999 or look on their
website.
Enforcement
We would like to stress that this
procedure should not be used to report possible
breaches of planning control, for example:
- The unauthorised change of use of a property, for example to an
office, a business, or for car repairs
- The felling of a preserved tree
- Unauthorised works to a Listed Building
- Displaying of a sign without advertisement consent
- Compliance with planning conditions
In these instances you
should contact the Enforcement section of the planning
team. Please see our
Who's
Who link for officer names and contact numbers.
Reports to this section are confidential and we aim to have all
possible breaches investigated initially within 15 working
days. The more serious breaches will be investigated
immediately, for example the felling of a preserved tree.
Customer
Suggestions
We are committed to providing a high
quality, efficient and friendly planning service, as highlighted in
our
Planning
Charter - Our Service To You. If you feel that we have
not met our aims and objectives, or if you have any comments or
suggestions about our service, we would like to hear from
you. Please use either the customer suggestion box, which is
placed in our reception area, or alternatively, e-mail your
comments to:
planning@eastleigh.gov.uk
Whilst we cannot give an individual
reply to each suggestions, please be assured that we will fully
consider each comment raised and, where possible, our procedures
and targets will be amended to reflect them.
Reviewed February 2006
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Page Last Updated: 4/5/2006
Eastleigh Borough Council
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Eastleigh Borough Council, Civic Offices, Leigh Road, Eastleigh, SO50 9YN
Telephone: 023 8068 8068, Fax: 023 8064 3952, Text: 07797 877001
Email:
direct@eastleigh.gov.uk