Complaints

The council’s complaints procedure has two stages:

Stage one

The people who can best deal with any problems are those who directly provide the service. Let a member of the council staff know that something is wrong and they will try to sort it out straight away wherever possible.

The council will be flexible to meet your needs and expectations. Depending on the nature of your complaint, it may be possible to deal with it informally – a telephone call to let you know that your problem has been resolved may be enough or it may be more appropriate to write and tell you what action the council  has taken or to explain the position.

Anyone can make a complaint in person at one of the council's offices, over the telephone, in writing by letter, fax or email or through this website at the address below.

Where appropriate, they should get a written acknowledgement of their complaint within three working days from the date the council receives it and a full response within 10 working days*. If their complaint cannot be resolved by then, they should get a letter explaining why not and giving them a new deadline.

*Please note that some staff in Children and Adults - Caring and Learning work to different timetables, set out by law. Schools also have their own complaints procedure.

Stage two

If you are unhappy with the outcome of stage one, you can take the matter further and complain to the Chief Executive's Complaints Officer (ceco@medway.gov.uk), telephone 01634 332456, or by letter to the address below. Your complaint will be fully reviewed and the council will aim to send a full response within 10 working days. Again, the council will let you know if it is going to take any longer.

At any stage you can talk to one of your elected councillors. Alternatively, a third party, such as an MP or community organisation, can make a complaint on your behalf.

Medway Council hopes that its complaints procedure will help to sort out quickly and successfully any problems you may have with the way its services are provided. However, if you are still not satisfied you can make a complaint to the Local Government Ombudsmen.

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