2014-05-20 Planning & Organisation Committee Agenda

PLANNING & ORGANISATION COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                                          20 MAY 2014


                                                                                       ATTACHMENT 1



                                                                                Council Policy
                                                                    Administrative Action
                                                                      Complaint Process


 Corporate Plan Reference:                      Governance

 Endorsed by Council:                           <Insert Date of Ordinary Meeting >

 Policy Author:                                 Executive Office



INTRODUCTION
Council values feedback, including complaints, as a means of identifying problems and enabling
improvements to systems and processes to improve its activities and services. Effective
complaint handling is an essential part of council’s approach to providing services that are
responsive to the needs and meet the expectations of our customers, ratepayers and the
community.

PURPOSE
Council’s has developed this complaint process to ensure:
   (i) complaints are handled in a structured, timely and professional manner which is fair,
       considerate and respectful of privacy;

   (ii) all staff are aware of their responsibilities regarding handling complaints;

   (iii) complaints are used to identify problems and to continuously improve the council’s
       services.

LEGISLATION
In accordance with section 268 Local Government Act 2009 (LGA 2009) a local government must
adopt a process for resolving administrative action complaints and Information Privacy Act 2009.

SCOPE
This process applies to all administrative action complaints made to council by external parties
about staff and/or its contractors. This process excludes actions and decisions taken under
legislation which provides for separate avenues of appeal e.g. local law prosecutions that are
appealable to a Magistrates Court or planning decisions made under state legislation.




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