Complaints policy

We do not handle the below as complaints through our complaints procedure.

• A request for a service, or where there has been an service failure which is easily rectified, e.g. a report of litter in a park, or a missed bin collection. If you want to report a local issue, please use our report it form. A request for service can however become a complaint if we have failed to address the issue in a timely manner, the quality of service was poor, or our decisions/actions have not followed council policy.
• We will not consider complaints about decisions that are still being processed or have not yet been made, purely because you disagree with the potential outcome. Once a final decision has been issued, you may either raise a complaint or request a review/appeal if you believe the process was unfair or not properly followed. If however your concerns relate to the standard of service you have received while your application is being considered (such as staff conduct, delays, or communication), we will review these at any time under our complaints process.
• Some services offer an appeal/review process if you do not agree with the outcome of a decision (and these are not handled through our complaints process) which include:
  • Appeal a local council tax support decision 
  • Appeal a housing benefits decision
  • Request a homelessness review
  • Request a planning appeal (applicants only) 
  • Request a food safety rating appeal
• A complaint made about elected members - find out how to complain about a councillor.
• A complaint about a decision of full council, cabinet or other decision-making committee which can only be challenged via a judicial review. Find out about judicial reviews. 
• A complaint about the outcome of a planning decision - such complaints are handled through the planning appeal process. If however you are dissatisfied with our customer service standards in relation to a planning application, we will handle this as a complaint. 
• A complaint about a housing register application or change of circumstances decision. Find out how to review a request of a decision. 
• A complaint about a council tax reduction decision. Find out how to request a review of a decision.
• Freeman of the land complaints - find out more.
• A complaint about a benefits decision or change of circumstances. Find out how to request a review of a decision. 
• A complaint about an offer of interim accommodation - find out more. 
• A complaint about an offer of temporary accommodation - these are handled through our review process. Find out how to request a review of an offer of temporary accommodation. 
• Complaints which may lead to an insurance claim - please contact our insurance team.
• Contractual disputes that have not exhausted the dispute resolution outlined in the contract - please email procurement@lichfielddc.gov.uk.
• A complaint that has been considered by the Local Government & Social Care Ombudsman and has been closed. If the Local Government Ombudsman receives a complaint before it has been investigated by the council, it will be passed to the council to investigate in line with this policy.
• A complaint that is subject to, or has already been through, court or tribunal proceedings, or there is a separate appeals process to a court or tribunal service.
• A complaint regarding operational matters at the Lichfield Garrick - please contact the Lichfield Garrick team. 
• Stage one complaints about operational matters at local leisure centres - please contact Lichfield West Midlands Traded Services (LWMTS). Stage two complaints about leisure centres are escalated to the council - find out more.
• Stage one complaints about disabled facilities grants - please contact Lichfield West Midlands Traded Services (LWMTS). Stage two complaints about disabled facilities grants are escalated to the council - find out more.
• A complaint about the loss of personal data as a result of an action by the council - find out more about how we respond to a suspected data breach. 
• A complaint that has been made/is being handled through our whistleblowing policy.
• Whilst it is vital that our staff can communicate clearly and well with all customers, we will not accept complaints specifically about a member of staffʹs accent or dialect in line with the council's fluency duty.
• Whilst we will look into anonymous complaints, there is often a limit as to how far we can progress such complaints.
• Complaints about services provided by other local authorities in the area - for example Staffordshire County Council, the fire or police authorities.