A: Your Parish Council should have a freely available complaints procedure. Your complaint should have been acknowledged and timeline given for replying to your complaint. Ask the Parish Clerk for a copy of the procedure.

A good complaints system is...

• well publicised and easy to use
• helpful and receptive
• not adversarial
• fair and objective
• based on clear procedures and defined responsibilities
• quick, thorough, rigorous and consistent
• decisive and capable of putting things right where necessary
• sensitive to the special needs and circumstances of the complainant
• adequately resourced
• fully supported by councillors and officers