TOWN Hall chiefs at Warrington have approved a new complaints procedure designed to simplify the way members of the public take up grievances with the borough council.
A system which involves a customer relations manager, complaints manager, three key areas through which complaints are managed, three different systems for handling those complaints and two forms for use by customers 
who want to complain will be axed.
It will be consolidated into a single common process for making complaints.
A customer relationship management system (CRM) already purchased for use at the new Contact Warrington centre in Horsemarket Street will be developed to deal with any complaints wherever they are received within the council.
There will be a single customers relations manager, based in Contact Warrington, who will be responsible ensuring all council departments comply with the new policy.
A complaints manager will be retained to handling adult and children’s social care complaints.
All complaints will be covered by a single leaflet.
A complaint is defined as “an expression of dissatisfaction with a council service.”
There will be three stages to complaint handling.
Stage 1 will be for local resolution and will be first time complaints deal with by a head of service.
Stage 2 will be repeat complaints or complaints from an MP or councillor and this will be dealt with by a head of service and signed by a strategic director.
Stage 3 will be those that have gone through the first two stages.
Where a customer complains about more than one service, a response from each service will be required.
The council is also introducing, for the first time, a policy for handling habitual or vexation complaints – defined as repeated and obsessive pursuit of unrealistic outcomes or reasonable complaints made in an unreasonable manner.
This will include complainants who use, or threaten to use, physical violence.
As a last resort in such cases, the head of service will write to the customer advising them that the council will not enter into any further correspondence on the matter.
Pictured: Contact Warrington, in Horsemarket Street.
Council make it easier to complain
00 Comments
Share.
About Author
Gary Skentelbery
Experienced journalist for more than 40 years. Managing Director of magazine publishing group with three in-house titles and on-line daily newspaper for Warrington. Experienced writer, photographer, PR consultant and media expert having written for local, regional and national newspapers. Specialties: PR, media, social networking, photographer, networking, advertising, sales, media crisis management. Chair of Warrington Healthwatch Director Warrington Chamber of Commerce Patron Tim Parry Johnathan Ball Foundation for Peace. Trustee Warrington Disability Partnership. Former Chairman of Warrington Town FC.
