What is the difference between a compliment, complaint or feedback?

It is important to understand the difference between a compliment, a complaint and feedback as this may affect the way it is handled and what you can expect from this process.

What is a Compliment?

If you have received particularly good service, we enjoy hearing about what has gone well, it is just as important in helping the council shape services as negative feedback and complaints. Copies of all compliments will be forwarded to the relevant Service Manager.

If a compliment is received about a Councillor, this will be forwarded to the Leader of the Council, the Leader of the political party concerned and the Councillor themselves.

What is a Complaint?

For the purpose of this policy, Breckland Council accepts the Local Government Ombudsman's definition:

"An expression of dissatisfaction about service, action or lack of action, however made, provided directly by the council or by a contractor or partner, affecting an individual resident or a group of residents, that requires a response."

Examples of a complaint

• Failure to consider relevant information
• Maladministration
• Delay
• Poor record keeping
• Failure to act
• Failure to follow procedures or the law
• Poor communication
• Giving out misleading or incorrect information
• Failure to investigate
• Not doing what we said we would

What is not a complaint?

This procedure will not to be used for the following:

• Complaints which are essentially disagreements with statutory powers or duties, council policies or decisions in themselves.
• Complaints against individual employees which arise directly from individuals' dissatisfaction with a council policy or decision.
• A planning or development control matter, or housing or council tax benefit or homelessness matter where a right of objection exists, unless the complaint relates specifically to the way the matter has been administered.
• A matter which is, or could reasonably be, the subject of court or tribunal proceedings, or which is in the hands of the council's insurers.
• Complaints against district, town or parish councillors. There is a separate procedure for this,see our Standards Arrangements.

A request for a service that is made for the first time. For example, if you report your neighbours for making a noise this will be referred to the service as a service issue, however should the service fail to investigate your noise complaint then it becomes a formal complaint. Breckland Council's Corporate Compliments, Complaints & Feedback Procedure deals with all complaints where there is not a specific or legal procedure to deal with the matter.  

Comments and views about Council Policy which has been agreed democratically in accordance with the Council's Constitution, cannot be treated as a complaint. You may wish to give us your views as feedback instead.

What we cannot investigate

We cannot usually look at a complaint if:

• You have left it more than 12 months since knowing about the problem.
• The matter has not affected you personally or caused you an injustice.
• The issue affects most people in the council's area.
• You have, or had, a right to appeal or take legal action and we think it is reasonable for you to have done so. This might be to: a tribunal (such as the Housing Benefit Appeals Service); a government minister (such as a planning appeal); the courts; It is about personnel matters (such as your employment or disciplinary issues)

What is feedback/comment?

Breckland Council values feedback about its services and welcomes suggestions on how we can improve them.