Feedback - Passport to Improved Service

This page tells you how to give us your comments on the service we have provided. Tell us what you think, say thank you when you want to, or suggest improvements you think we could make.

We like to know when you are not satisfied - this helps us learn how to improve and deliver a better service in the future. We also like to know when we get things right - this helps us to maintain excellent service.

Our complaints and compliments procedure is called the Passport to Improved Service. You can download all the information on this page from the Adobe PDFPassport to Improved Services 105kb booklet.

What to do

The issue may be one that we can resolve on the spot. If so, our customer service staff will try to deal with the matter immediately. It may not always be possible to resolve an issue immediately. Sometimes we may need to ask you to provide further details.

If the matter is reasonably simple, you may choose to contact us by telephone. We will try to resolve the issue there and then. Our telephone number is 01722 336272.

If you feel the matter is too complicated, we will ask you to put the details in writing. You can do this by letter, email or by using the Adobe PDFService Improvement Feedback Form 32kb.

You may also contact us via this website.

Expectations

When you contact us, you can expect us to:

  • listen to you and make every effort to help,
  • be fair, responsive and courteous,
  • be professional and well-informed,
  • endeavour to provide services that meet your requirements,
  • be clear about the services we can offer,
  • endeavour to get things right first time,
  • encourage you to comment on our services,
  • respond effectively to your comments and use them to keep improving our services.

When you contact us, we expect you to:

  • treat our staff with respect,
  • act honestly in your dealings with us.

Help with giving your feedback

If you would like someone to help you complete our feedback form or to write to us, please contact our customer service officers, who will be pleased to assist you:

If you feel you would like independent help, you can contact the Citizens' Advice Bureau for help in completing the letter or form. Their telephone number is 01722 327222 in Salisbury, or 01980 622696 in Amesbury.

What happens next?

If you choose to write to us, you can expect a full response within 15 working days. If for some reason we cannot do this, we will send you an acknowledgement, and we will let you know who will be dealing with the issue.

If you contact us by email or through the website, you will be sent an automated acknowledgement of receipt.

If you have received our full response and you are still not satisfied, you can appeal to the Chief Executive or one of the Policy Directors of the council. Upon receipt of an appeal the Chief Executive or Policy Director will arrange for the case to be reviewed by an officer outside the service unit concerned.

If you are still not satisfied after this point, you can complain to the Local Government Ombudsman’s Office. This is an independent organisation set up specifically to look at whether or not councils have followed their procedures and whether any injustice has been caused. Our customer services staff will be able to provide you with details of how to contact the Ombudsman. Before you take a matter to the Ombudsman, you must give the council the opportunity to deal with it.

Local Government Ombudsman
Millbank Tower
Millbank
London SW1P 4QP
Tel: 020 7217 4620 or the Adviceline on 0845 602 1983

You may also wish to contact your local councillor. The names and addresses of councillors are available from our customer contact centres, by phoning 01722 336272, or by using our online councillor database.

How we will deal with the issue you have raised

You can expect us to:

  • take your comments seriously and investigate fully and fairly
  • endeavour to provide a full response within 15 working days and follow a formal procedure if the matter cannot be resolved informally
  • provide an apology, explanation and, where possible, an effective solution, if we are found to be at fault
  • try to arrange for somebody to speak on your behalf, if requested
  • try to overcome any barriers that you may have in expressing your dissatisfaction (e.g.language, communication difficulties) and please let us know of any problems you encounter
  • use customer feedback to help us make ongoing improvements to our services

Our customer service policies

Our complaints and compliments procedure is called the Passport to Improved Service. You can also download all the information on this page in the Adobe PDFPassport to Improved Services 105kb booklet. Large Print, audio formats and translations of the Passport to Improved Service are available on request.

Our Adobe PDFCustomer Care Charter 54kb tells you about the standards and targets we aim for in our services. We are committed to providing quality services, delivered fairly, courteously and responsively. We need your opinion so that we can provide our services according to our Charter. Suggestions from customers can help us to focus on issues we may not have considered.

We also publish a policy statement entitled Adobe PDFAccess to Council Services 621kb Originally 'Difficult Customers Policy' which covers the rights of the public to seek advice, help and services that the council offers, including difficult customers.

Details of all contacts with the council are stored on computer and handled in line with Data Protection law.

How to find our offices

Downloads

Contact details:

Telephone:
01722 336272

email:
thecouncil@salisbury.gov.uk...

Postal address:
Salisbury District Council
PO Box 2117
Salisbury
SP2 2DF