Stage 2 - Investigation Review
We aim to provide a fair and satisfactory resolution to as many complaints as possible at stage 1. However, if you are not satisfied with the outcome or the way your complaint has been handled, you can contact the Service Recovery Team to ask for your complaint to be reviewed at stage 2 of the complaints process.
You will usually have 20 working days from the date of the stage 1 response to request that your complaint is escalated for review at stage 2.
Where we decide to exclude a late escalation request, we will write to you to explain why we consider your request to be out of time and may either open a new complaint at stage 1 and / or advise you of your right to approach the Ombudsman regarding our decision.
In some circumstances we may accept requests to escalate a complaint made after 20 working days but within six months of the stage 1 response. This will usually only be in situations where the complaint had been resolved at stage 1 but the same or similar issues have recurred, or the Council had agreed to take action at stage 1 but there have been delays or where we have not taken the action agreed. Please contact the Service Recovery Team to request an escalation in such cases.
The two-stage complaints process is not an appeal process or a means to challenge a decision, but it does provide an opportunity for the Council to consider the adequacy of the stage 1 response, to review whether the decision was taken properly, and to look again at whether:
- all relevant information was considered in investigating the complaint
- our procedures have been properly applied in handling the complaint
- there has been a correct interpretation of Council policy
The Service Recovery team will acknowledge your escalation request within five working days of contact (the day of receipt is day zero) and allocate it to the relevant service area for investigation and response.
All contact with you will usually be by email if the complaint was made electronically, or if you have not indicated any other preferred method of communication.
The stage 2 review will usually be conducted by a senior manager or head of service who was not involved with the stage 1 investigation, and a detailed response issued within 20 working days of acknowledgement.
Some complex complaints may require longer than 20 working days to review. In such cases, we may extend the timescale for response by up to a further 20 working days. If so, we will contact you to explain the reason(s) for the extension and the new date for response. We will also advise you of your right to take our decision to extend to the Ombudsman.
On completion of the review, we will provide you with a full response, confirming the issues investigated, what decision has been reached (Upheld; Partially Upheld; or Not Upheld) and why.
Should your complaint be upheld, our response will also contain an apology, details of any remedy offered to put things right, and details of any actions to be taken and when they will be completed.
Not every complaint can be resolved and not everyone will agree with suggested ways of resolving their concerns. Stage 2 is the Council’s final response for service complaints and there are no further internal review channels available after this. If you have been through all stages of our complaints procedure and are still unhappy, you can ask the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman to review your complaint. Our stage 2 response letter will advise how you can do this.