Complaints

We regard a complaint as any expression of dissatisfaction about our action or lack of action, or about the standard of service provided by us or on our behalf.

• Complete the online complaint form above.
• Phone Customer Services on 0300 123 4510
• Email complaints@eastdunbarton.gov.uk

It is easier for us to address complaints if you make them quickly and directly to the service concerned. So please talk to a member of our staff at the service you are complaining about. Then they can try to resolve the issue.

When complaining, please tell us:

• your full name and contact details (including email address where possible)
• as much as you can about the complaint
• what has gone wrong; and
• what outcome you are seeking.

Anyone who receives, requests or is directly affected by our services can make a complaint to us. This includes the representative of someone who is dissatisfied with our service (for example, a relative, friend, advocate or adviser). If you are making a complaint on someone else’s behalf, you will normally need their written consent.

You can complain about things like:

• Failure or refusal to provide a service
• Inadequate quality or standard of service, or an unreasonable delay in providing a service
• Dissatisfaction with one of our policies or its impact on the individual
• Failure to properly apply law, procedure or guidance when delivering services
• Failure to follow the appropriate administrative process
• Conduct, treatment by or attitude of a member of staff or contractor (except where there are arrangements in place for the contractor to handle the complaint themselves); or
• Disagreement with a decision, (except where there is a statutory procedure for challenging that decision, or an established appeals process followed throughout the sector).

There are some things we can’t deal with through our complaints handling procedure. These include:

• A routine first-time request for a service 
• A first-time report of a fault (for example, potholes, street lighting)
• A request for compensation only
• Issues that are in court or have already been heard by a court or a tribunal (if you decide to take legal action, you should let us know as the complaint cannot then be considered under this process)
• Disagreement with a decision where there is a statutory procedure for challenging that decision (such as for freedom of information and subject access requests), or an established appeals process followed throughout the sector – such as council tax, planning, parking ticket or placing request appeal
• Disagreement with decisions or conditions that are based upon social work recommendations, but determined by a court or other statutory body, for example decisions made by a children's panel, parole board or mental health tribunal
• A request for information under the Data Protection or Freedom of Information (Scotland) Acts
• a grievance by a staff member or a grievance relating to employment or staff recruitment
• A concern raised internally by a member of staff (which was not about a service they received, such as a whistleblowing concern)
• A concern about a child or an adult’s safety
• An attempt to reopen a previously concluded complaint or to have a complaint reconsidered where we have already given our final decision
• Abuse or unsubstantiated allegations about our organisation or staff where such actions would be covered by our Unacceptable Customer Behaviour Policy; or
• A concern about the actions or service of a different organisation, where we have no involvement in the issue (except where the other organisation is delivering services on our behalf).

If other procedures or rights of appeal can help you resolve your concerns, we will give information and advice to help you.

Normally, you must make your complaint within six months of:

• the event you want to complain about; or
• finding out that you have a reason to complain.

In exceptional circumstances, we may be able to accept a complaint after the time limit. If you feel that the time limit should not apply to your complaint, please tell us why.

We aim to provide high quality customer services and to 'get it right first time' but if you are not happy with any of our services, a complaints procedure is in place that puts you at the heart of the process.  Complaints enable us to learn from mistakes and improve the services we provide. 

We strive to resolve the majority of complaints simply and quickly and we have a two stage procedure:

Stage 1

(Frontline Resolution) For straightforward and easily resolved issues.
Complaints dealt with at Stage 1 will be responded to within five working days. In exceptional circumstances, where there are clear and justifiable reasons for doing so an extension of no more than five working days may be agreed with the customer. This will only happen when an extension will make it more likely that the complaint will be resolved at the frontline resolution stage. This means that frontline resolution can in special circumstances take ten days in total.

Stage 2 (Investigation)

For issues not resolved at front line or that are more complex.
Complaints dealt with at Stage 2 will be acknowledged within three working days and responded to within 20 working days. If we require more time to respond, we will let you know of the reasons for the delay and agree a revised time scale.

Once you have received our final decision, if you feel that your issues have not been resolved, you can contact the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman (SPSO) and request that your complaint be reviewed. SPSO contact details will be provided with our final response to you.

After we have given you our final decision, if you are still dissatisfied with our decision or the way we dealt with your complaint, you can ask the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman (SPSO) to look at it. 

The SPSO are an independent organisation that investigates complaints. They are not an advocacy or support service (but there are other organisations who can help you with advocacy or support).

You can ask the SPSO to look at your complaint if: 

• you have gone all the way through the Council’s complaints handling procedure
• it is less than 12 months after you became aware of the matter you want to complain about; and
• the matter has not been (and is not being) considered in court.

The SPSO will ask you to complete a complaint form and provide a copy of our final response to your complaint. You can do this online at Scottish Public Services Ombudsman complaint form or call them on Freephone 0800 377 7330.

You may wish to get independent support or advocacy to help you progress your complaint. See the section on Getting help to make your complaint below.

The SPSO’s contact details are:

SPSO. Bridgeside House, 
99 McDonald Road, 
Edinburgh 
EH7 4NS (if you would like to visit in person, you must make an appointment first)

Their freepost address is:

FREEPOST SPSO
Freephone: 0800 377 7330
Online contact Scottish Public Services Ombdsman contact-us page
Website: Scotttish Public Services Ombudsman

There are some complaints that have an alternative route for independent review. We will tell you how to seek independent review when we give you our final response on your complaint.

The Complaints Handling Procedure and the Social Work Complaints Handling Procedure have now been amalgamated into one document. You can access the document on this page, or visit the Social Work Complaints page on the Health & Social Care website

If your complaint relates to a care service we provide, you can choose whether to complain to us or the Care Inspectorate. You can find out more about their complaints procedure, or make a complaint, by contacting them.

The Care Inspectorate has several offices around Scotland. Please refer to the Care Inspectorate website

We understand that you may be unable or reluctant to make a complaint yourself. We accept complaints from the representative of a person who is dissatisfied with our service. We can take complaints from a friend, relative, or an advocate, if you have given them your consent to complain for you.

You can find out about advocates in your area by contacting the Scottish Independent Advocacy Alliance by telephone on 0131 510 9410. 

Ceartas Advocacy is an East Dunbartonshire based organisation providing independent advocacy to adults living in the council area. Their address is Suites 5-7 McGregor House, 10 Donaldson Crescent, Kirkintilloch, G66 1XF. They can be contacted by telephone on 0141 775 0433, by email at info@ceartas.org.uk, and by text on 07410982082

You can find out about advisers in your area through Citizens Advice Scotland website for more information. 

11 Alexandra Street, Kirkintilloch, G66 1HB
Telephone Number 0141 775 3220
Website Citizens advice bureau

We are committed to making our service easy to use for all members of the community. In line with our statutory equalities duties, we will always ensure that reasonable adjustments are made to help you access and use our services. If you have trouble putting your complaint in writing, or want this information in another language or format, such as large font, audio or Braille, please tell us in person, contact the Council’s Communications Team at:

Address:12 Strathkelvin Place, Kirkintilloch, G66 1TJ
Email: corpcommunications@eastdunbarton.gov.uk
Telephone: 0300 1234510