2018-06-12 Services & Organisation Committee Agenda

SERVICES & ORGANISATION COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA   12 JUNE 2018




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SERVICES & ORGANISATION COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                                                    12 JUNE 2018

           ORGANISATIONAL PROCEDURE - ADMINISTRATION ACTION COMPLAINTS PROCESS

           Expectations of complainants

           In order to ensure that a complaint is handled in the most efficient manner, Council requests that
           complainants:
               e  Clearly identify the issues of complaint, or ask for help from Council staff to do this;
           e   Give Council all the available information in support of the complaint in an organised format
               and not provide any information that is intentionally misleading or knowingly wrong or
               vexatious;
           e   Cooperate with the Council’s inquiries or investigations; and
           e   Treat staff with courtesy and respect.

           If complainants do not meet these expectations, Council may set limits or conditions on the
           handling of the complaint. Any abuse, harassment or threats to the safety or welfare of staff may
           result in discontinuation of the complaint investigation and contact with the complainant may
           cease.

           Similarly, if it is found that the complainant has engaged in unreasonable complaint conduct or has
           made a frivolous, trivial, or knowingly false or a vexatious complaint, future contact with the
           complainant may cease.
           Unreasonable complaint conduct can have a major impact on staff and allocation of resources,
           which can raise equity issues as they lead to less resources for other complaints and priorities.
           A complaint may be considered frivolous or trivial if.the reviewing officer as without merit or
           unreasonably minor in nature.
           A complaint may be considered vexatious if is it clearly mischievous, without merit and serving only
           to cause annoyance.
           Once a reviewing officer has been allocated to the complaint, the complainant should direct all
           correspondence to that officer so that the complaint can be managed as efficiently as possible.

           Receiving, Assessing and acknowledging a complaint

           Guidance for timing of investigations and responses
           Council will aim to respond to complaints as quickly as possible having regard to the following
           factors:

           e   Resource availability;
           e   The risk and urgency of the situation;
           e   The complexity of the complaint and number of issues involved; and
           e   The number of operational areas within Council involved in working through the complaint
               issues.
           Assessment of complaint
           Upon receipt of a complaint, the relevant Council officer must undertake a preliminary assessment
           to determine the appropriate resolution process. Council’s Governance Team can provide
           assistance with this process as required.
           The initial assessment process involves the following:

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