Make a complaint

We understand that it can be frustrating when you need help and are told that your concern cannot be handled through the Corporate Complaints Procedure. 

Please be assured this is never meant to stop you raising an issue. In many cases, it simply means there is a more suitable process designed to resolve that type of concern more effectively.

Where this applies, we will always do our best to guide you to the right service, process, or organisation.

Highways

We know that issues on the roads - such as potholes, drainage problems, or delays to repairs - can be very inconvenient. Highways inspections follow the Highways Safety Inspection Code of Practice, which means defects are assessed and prioritised according to set safety criteria. Because of this, the Corporate Complaints Procedure cannot:

• Change the outcome of an inspection
• Increase the priority of repairs
• Escalate routine or lower priority work ahead of urgent safety issues

The following situations also cannot be handled as corporate complaints:

• Requests for service (e.g., reporting potholes, drainage issues, overgrown hedges, traffic concerns, or gritting). These must be reported using Report It
• Requests for updates where a report is still within the expected timescale
• Updates advising that the defect has worsened
• Concerns about non urgent issues that have not yet been repaired
• Requests to reopen a closed report
• Concerns about the quality of completed works - these need to be reported so an inspector can reassess the site
• Disagreement with an inspection outcome where there is no evidence it was carried out incorrectly

For further information, please visit our Highways maintenance page

Blue badges

Applications and appeals have a dedicated process. Apply or review a Blue Badge application

School placements

An appeals process is available for parents who are dissatisfied with the school place offered to their child. 

Appeals must be made through the school admissions appeals process.

Penalty notices (school attendance)

Penalty notices follow a statutory code of conduct. There is no automatic right of appeal in respect of the issue of the issue of penalty notices however representation can be made to the council’s County Manager for Education. View further information about the statutory code of conduct  

Assisted transport (home to school transport)

If a complaint is about the refusal to provide a pupil with assisted transport, the parent has the right to access the appeals procedure. Transport refusals must go through the travel assistance review and appeal process.

Penalty charge notices (parking)

PCNs have a dedicated appeals process and cannot be reviewed via the Corporate Complaints Procedure. View further information about the appeals process.

Claims against the council (damage or personal injury)

Complaints about the outcome of a claim will not be addressed by the council. This is because matters regarding liability are addressed by a specific claims process and there is an alternative route available to you if you are unhappy with the decision. Information on what action you can take with regards to this is set out on our highways claims webpage. 

You will also be provided with information on the next steps available when the outcome of the claim is determined and communicated to you.

Councillors

Complaints about the conduct of councillors must be referred to the council’s Monitoring Officer. 

Make a complaint about a county councillor

HR / Employment issues

Staff employment matters are handled by HR, not through the complaints procedure.

District and borough councils

We know it can be confusing when different councils deliver different services. The county council cannot look at complaints about services provided by your district or borough council, such as:

• Bin collections
• Council tax
• Most planning matters

These must be raised directly with your local district or borough council.